Cañon City officials outline drought response, Twin Lakes reserves and bulk-water sales amid questions about destinations

City staff and the water committee briefed the Cañon City Council July 9 on the status of local water supplies, the mechanics of river 'calls' and the city's project water held at Twin Lakes, noting both technical limits and policy choices as the community navigates drought conditions.

City Administrator Ryan explained that under the council-adopted drought response plan staff have the authority to move the city between stages when field data or a water commissioner 'call' indicate a change is required. "We as staff have the ability to move us into those stages based off of what we're seeing on the ground and what we're hearing from the water commissioners," Ryan said. He added that a river water rights call would trigger an automatic move to Stage 2 under the existing plan.

Committee members described how Cañon City's water rights are tied to the hydraulic ditch and the Arkansas Valley system; downstream users with more senior rights can force a call that limits diversions. Dave Little, a water committee advisor and retired Denver Water planning director, framed Stage 1 as preparation and public notification while Stage 2 would be the crisis period when the city must prioritize drinking water and other critical uses.

Ryan and the committee reported the city stores roughly 1,000 acre-feet of project (transmountain) water in Twin Lakes/Lake Pueblo for municipal use; staff cautioned that department-level purchases would be required to replenish those stores once drawn. The mayor and staff estimated that at the current approximate daily draw the reserve could last roughly 50–55 days without further cuts, but they noted that technical staff (water superintendent Travis Payne, who was not present) would have the precise calculations.

Council members also raised bulk-water sales: staff presented city records showing about 13.2 million gallons sold in 2025 and 5.7 million gallons sold through June 2026. Mayor Lindt mentioned a rumor that some bulk water haulers might be selling to a marijuana-growing operation in Pueblo; Ryan said staff do not currently track destination ZIP codes for bulk-water customers and could not confirm that allegation.

Council asked staff and the water committee to consider whether the city's bulk-water permitting or record-keeping should be modified to show destination information or limit new customers in stage escalations. "We may limit new customers depending on what other communities are doing, because if other communities start turning off their bulk water, we may see a run on accounts," Ryan said. Committee members noted existing state-required permits for drinking-water haulers could be one way to screen uses.

What this means: the council affirmed staff discretion under the drought response plan to move stages as hydrologic conditions change, acknowledged that Twin Lakes reserves are limited and subject to market replenishment costs, and tasked staff to return with recommendations on whether to track or restrict bulk-water sales during escalated stages.