WSP10312

• File Number: 8131.600
• Description: Southeastern Colorado Water conservancy District - SECWCD
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 1/1/1977
• Title: Annual Report 1976 - The Future of The Arkansas Valley is Its Water - The Future of Its Water is the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

HISTORY

c
(:;)
'-"
CC
a
(.i1

The Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy
District was created under Colorado State Statutes on
April 29, 1958, by District Court in Pucblo, Colorado.
It embraces approximately 2BO,000 irrigable acres in
26,150 square miles in the Arkansas River Basin, with
a population of approximately 500,000 people, and
includes towns from Rural Unincorporated Munici.
palities, to Cities in excess of 200,000 people, and
areas ranging from very small farms to large ranch-
ing operations. It truly is representative of "Rural
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
before 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 Petit.ioned the Court in Pueblo for per.
mission to form a Water Conservancy District. The
movement actually started 8S early as 1922, when a
group of citizens from farms and cities joined together
to start discussing ways of not only managing existing
or decreed water supplies better, but also utilizing
other waters 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 an assessed valuation of sliehtly less
than $400 million, and on January 1, 1977, the valua-
tion was $1,232,732.

DISTRICT POWER AND AUTHORITY

Colorado Revised Statutes in 1963. Article 5,
passed by the Colorado General Assembly in 1937,
sets forth specific duties, powers and authorities of
W ster Conservancy Districts in the State of Colorado,
and included in Article 5 are the foHowing Sections:

150-5-1 - Declaration (1). It is hereby
declared that to prDvide fDr the cDnservation 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-
tricts, and the construction of works 8S herein
defined by such Districts are 8 public use and
will:
(2) Be essentially for the Public benefit
and advantage of the people of the State of Colo.
rado.
(3) Indirectly benefit all industries of the
State.
(4) Indirectly benefit the State of Colorado
in the increase of its taxable property valuation.
(5) Directly benefit municipalities by pro.

4

,
(

viding adequate supplies of water for domestic
use.
(6) Directly benefit lands to be irrigated
from works to be constructed.
(7) Directly benefit lands under irriga.
tion by stabilizing the flow of water in streams
and by increasing flow and return flow of waters
to such streams.
(8) (a) Promote the comfort, safety and
welfare of the people of the State of Colorado.
and it is therefore declared to be the policy of
the Stale of Colorado:
(b) To control, make use of and apply
to beneficial use all unappropriated waters or.
iginating in this State to a direct and supple.
mental use of such waters for domestic, manu-
facturing, irrigation, power and other benefi.
cial uses.
(c) To obtain from water originating in
Colorado the highest duty for domestic uses
and irrigation of lands in Colorado within the
terms of interstate compacts.
(d) To cooperate with the United States
under the federal reclamation Is ws and other
agencies of the United States government for
the construction and financing of works in the
State of Colorado as herein defined and for the
operation and maintenance thereof.
(e) To promote the greater pro~perity
and general welfare of the people of the State
of Colorado by encouraging the organization
of water conservancy districts as provided in
this article.

150-5-13-General Powers-The Board shall
have power on behalf of said district:
(1) To have perpetual succession.
(2) (a) To take by appropriation, grant
purchase, bequests, devise or lease, and to hold
and enjoy water, water works, water rights and
sources of water supply and any and all real
and personal property of any kind within or
without the distrkt necessary or convenient to
the full exercise of its powers.
(b) To sell, lease, encumber, alien or
otherwise dispose of water, waterworks, Water
rights and sources of supply of water for use
within the District.
(c) To acquire, construct or operate,
control and use any and all works, facilities and
means necessary or convenient to the exercise
of its power, both within and without the dis.
trict for the purpose of providing for the. use of
such water within the district. To do and
perform all things necessary or convenient to
the full exercise of the powers herein granted.

';..

",...'

,
I
i.
.'.

;:

,:.

,.
,
'i
;.
{.
~-

I
,
I
I
r
f

(..

,..

,~, .

5

'. .. ~. -.. ... ..... , .

.:......:..

. :;.......;.. ~;...(..:-..: :-~.......;:.. .....'':'.:::.r-:-:;~?:::....~.:-.,.:-:;:.~......,.-....:'...

.~" . .

......,..