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j ! .".j ,.1 .' ;,'- 1 I i . :'.1 ....'1 :. ~"'j ....J ", ',r ".. '. .~. -.-:'.>? .~. ,~ ~. ..,. ~ ...:.... ; ,", ~ ANNUAL HISTORY The Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District was created under Colorado State Statutes on April 19, 1958, by District Court in Pueblo, Colorado. It embraces approximately 280,000 irrigable acres in 26,150 square miles in the Arkansas River Basin, with a population 01 approximately 4DO,OOO people, and include.s towns from Rural Unincorporated Munici. paJities, to Cities in excess of 200,000 people, and areas ranging from very small farms to large ranch. iug operations. It truly is representative of "RuTal America", where the agricultural sectors are suffering out-migration, and the larger metropolitan areas are faced with problems common to growing areas. The citizens in the Arkansas Valley realized long belore 1958 that a well managed water supply held the key to the future growth and prosperity of the Basin in Colorado, and as a result of this sincere con- viction, they Petitioned the Courl in Pueblo for per- mission to form a Water Conservancy District. The movement actually slarted as early as 1922, when a group of citizens from farms and cities joined togelher to starl discussing ways of not only managing existing or decreed water supplies beller, but also ulilizing other walers in Colorado to which they were legally entitled. Not only has the District grown in population since its creation. but also in valuation. When formed in 1958 it had ~Il assessed valuation of slightly less than $400 million, and on January 1, 1973, the valua- tion was $796,519,148,00, or nearly double in Ihe fifteen rears. As mentioned previously, most of the increase has come in Counties where metropolitan areas are growing. j , Co '"" <lID ~ jo-. Philosophy of Board of Directors submitted to the Water Resources Congress, and mem- bers of the Congress of the United States, as applied to the National Water Commission Report: REPORT " The most essential natural resource on the Earth is water, Without water there is no life of any type, and with it the good life. Our water supply is finite, We can neither manufacture new water nor can we destroy it, only change its form for the time being, Water, its Conservation and Manage- ment, both quantity and quality, mul- tiple use and reuse should, therefore, be the absolute top priority in all matters considered by the Adminis- tration, the Congress of the United States, our State and Local Govern- ments, and all others who have au- thority over Water Laws and Water Management Facilities, DISTRICT POWER AND AUTHORITY Colorado Revised Statutes in 1963. Article 5, passed by the Colorado General Assembly in 1937, sels forth specific duties, powers and authorities of Water Conservancy Districts in the State of Colorado, . and included in Article 5 are the following Sections: 150.5.1-Declaration (11. It is hereby declared that to provide for the conservation of water resources of the State of Colorado, and for the greatest beneficial use of water within this State, the organization of Water Conservancy Dis. tricls. and the construction of works as herein defined by such Districts are a public use and will: (2) Be essentially for the Public bene/it and advantage of the people of the State of Colo- rado. Indirectly benefit all industries of the "i (3) State, (4) Indirectly benefit the Stale of ColQrado in the increase of its taxable property \'aluation. (5' Directly benefit municipalities by pro. 2 ."'::-'.';~'_:.~:;:.071'-;::.~' :".:Y;/:-'~.._'{;:'"";;: :..~- .~....:. ;.-. -: . ..' ;,.