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Grand County to act as fiscal agent for CWCB grant to study Jones Ponds storage
Summary
The Grand County Board approved a memorandum of understanding to receive and disburse a Colorado Water Conservation Board grant (about $171,000–$176,000) for a feasibility study of ponds on private land near Tabernash that could provide distributed storage for Middle Park Water’s conditional rights.
Grand County commissioners voted June 10 to authorize a memorandum of understanding that will let the county act as fiscal agent for a Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) Colorado Water Plan grant to fund a feasibility study of the so-called Jones Ponds project.
Kent Whitmer, representing Middle Park/Bridal Park Water interests, told the board the project would evaluate two existing ponds on private property near Tabernash owned by Ron Jones. Middle Park holds conditional storage rights in the Fraser Valley totaling about 171 acre‑feet; the ponds are currently unadjudicated and, if engineered and lined, could provide roughly 40–50 acre‑feet of usable storage in their present footprints, Whitmer said. The CWCB award to support engineering and feasibility work is roughly $171,000–$176,000, Whitmer said.
Whitmer said the feasibility study will determine whether ponds can be lined, fitted with inlet and outlet controls, and integrated into a long‑term easement so Middle Park can lawfully store and release water to benefit river reaches during low‑flow periods. Under the proposed arrangement, Grand County would receive the grant funds, verify invoices and disburse payments to the engineering firm when Middle Park certifies work is complete.
Commissioners discussed administrative details, including the county treasurer’s fee and an ability to withdraw from the MOU within a short notice period. The county attorney reviewed the template used, noting it mirrors prior fiscal‑agent arrangements the county has administered. A motion to approve the MOU and authorize the chair to sign carried in favor.
The feasibility study is the first step in a broader strategy Middle Park has pursued for years to make distributed storage available in the Fraser Valley. Whitmer said the district also plans continued outreach about potential future debrucing and long‑term funding options but that tax‑related constraints (TABOR) currently limit Middle Park’s ability to accept grant funds directly without a fiscal agent.
Next steps: county staff will finalize the MOU and the county treasurer will process the grant receipt and subsequent disbursements according to the agreement approved by the board.
