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<br />HISTORY
<br />
<br />The Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy
<br />District was created under Colorado State Statutes on
<br />April 29, 1958, by District Court in Pueblo, Colorado.
<br />It -embraces approximately 280,000 irrigable acres in
<br />026,150 square miles in the Arkansas Rivet Basin, with
<br />a a population of approximately 500,000 people, and
<br />,...,inclucles towns from Rural' Unincorporated Munici.
<br /><:.opalities, to Cities in. excess of 200,000 people, and
<br />N areas ranging f~om very smaH farms to large ranch-
<br />O iog operations. It truly .is representative of "Rural
<br />Amer~ca", where the agricultural sectors are suffering
<br />out-migration, and the larger metropolitan areas are
<br />faced with probl~m~ common to growing areas. .
<br />
<br />The citizens iil th~ Arkansas Valley re81iz~d long
<br />before 1958 that a well managed water supply held
<br />the key to the future growth and prosperity of the
<br />Basin in Colorado, and as a result, of this sincere corio
<br />viction, they Petitioned the Court- in Pueblo, foc' per-
<br />mission to form a Water Conservancy District.. The
<br />!TIovement actually started as early as: 1922~ when a
<br />group_ of Citizens from farms and Cities joined tog~th~r
<br />to sta~l discuss,ing ways of not only managing exis.tiilg
<br />or decreed water supplies better, but, also utilizing.
<br />other waters in, Colorado to which they were' legally
<br />entitled:
<br />
<br />Not :ol1')Y has the District, gro~n in-..populatioll
<br />since its cre-ation: but _also in valuation. When formed
<br />in 1958'.;t .Iiad' ~n"assessed valuaiion ofsligbtly ,less
<br />tban $400 million, and on' January ,1" \Q78; thi, valuac
<br />tion' was $1,303,527,773: '
<br />" " .. \ . .
<br />
<br />, DlSTRlCT POWER AND AUTHORITY
<br />
<br />Colorad~. Revised' Statutes in' 1963, Articlo 5"
<br />pass~d by the, Colorado General Assembly in' 1937,
<br />sets, .f~rth. :specific ,duties, powers and authorities of
<br />Water, ConservacH:':y,:Districts in the State of Colorado,
<br />','l. and included' in, Article 5 are the -foJlowing, Sections:
<br />". I .
<br />150.5.1 - 'Declaration (1): It is 'hereby
<br />declared that to provide for the cOll~ervation, of
<br />water resources of..the State of- Colorado, and for
<br />the greatest beneficial u~e of wa'ter within t~is
<br />State; the, organization of ~ !lter Conservancy Dis-
<br />tricts; and the. construction of wo'rks' as herein
<br />. defined by 'such Districts 8re a public use and
<br />";iII: ' , " "
<br />(2)' Be es;"ntially for 'the Public benefit,
<br />and, advantage of the 'people: of the State of Colo.
<br />rado. '
<br />,(3) Indirectly benefit all indus!r!es of 'the
<br />:State.
<br />(4) Indirectly benefit the State of Colorado.
<br />in tne increase of its taxable property valuation. .
<br />(5) Directly benef;'t municipalities by pro.
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<br />viding adequate supplies of water for domestic
<br />use.
<br />(6) Directly benefit lands to be irrigated
<br />from works to he constructed.
<br />(7) Directly benefit lands und.er Irriga-
<br />tion by stabilizing the flow of water m streams
<br />and by increasing flow and return flow of waters
<br />to such streams.
<br />(8) (a) Promote the comfort, safety, and
<br />welfare of tbe people of tbe State of Col?rado,
<br />and it is therefore declared to be tbe polley of
<br />the State of Colorado:
<br />(b) To control, make use of and apply.
<br />to beneficial use all unappropriated water~ or.
<br />iginating in this State to a direct an? supple-
<br />mental use. of such waters for domestIc; man~'
<br />facturing, irrigation, power and other benefl.
<br />cial uses.'
<br />
<br />(c) To obtain from' water originating ,in
<br />Colorado, the higbest, duiy 'for dome~ti~ uses
<br />and irrigation ,of lands in Colorado wlthll~' the
<br />terms of interstate compaCts.
<br />(d) To cooperate with the United States
<br />under the- federal reclamation laws and other
<br />agenci~s. of the. United States. govern.meryt fo.r
<br />the construction and financing of works m. the
<br />State of Colorado as berein' defined and for, the
<br />operation and rna'intenance'ther~of.
<br />. ' -( e) 'T 0 promote the' gres"ter' prosperity
<br />, and, general welfare of the people of the. St~te
<br />. of Colorado .,by encouraging the' organIZatIOn.
<br />of water 'conservancy districts 8S provit;led, in
<br />this article.
<br />
<br />150.5c13-Ceneral 'Po";ersc-The :Boa~d shall
<br />, have power on behalf o(said. district:
<br />
<br />(1) To, h~ve 'pe~petual su'cce~sion. ,
<br />
<br />, (2) (aJ. To take by' 'appropriation, grant
<br />purchase, bequests, devise or .lease,- ',a!!? to hold
<br />and.'enjoy water, water works, water nghts and.
<br />sources of water supply and any' and all real
<br />and personal' property of. any kind wit?in or
<br />without the district necessary or convement to
<br />the full exercise of its powers.
<br />(b). To. sell,' lease, encumber, ali~iI or
<br />otherwise dispose of water, waterworks, water
<br />r"ights and sources of supply .of water for, -use
<br />'within the District.
<br />(c) To acquire, co'~stiuct or operate,"
<br />control' and" use any and all works, facilities and
<br />means necessary or. convenierit to the exerci.se
<br />of ih power, both 'within and. without the dls.
<br />trict for the purpose of providing for the use of
<br />such water within the district. roo do . and
<br />perform all things necessary or co~venient to
<br />the full exercise of the powers .herem granted.
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