Lease Agreement

• Case Number: W-566-72
• Lake Name: MEXICAN CUT POND # 1
• Watershed: Crystal River
• Water Division: 5
• Water District: 38
• County: Gunnison
• NLL Acq - Doc Type: Contracts, MOA/MOU, Leases, Agreements

WHEREAS, the DEPARTMENT is authorized:by the Act to identify Bnd
protect 'certain. natural areas which "s~I've as examples of the native
condition in studies relating to. air, water, and soil quality and
habitat product~vityll; and .

t4HEREAS., RMBL filed for and receive'd decrees on November 6. 1972
for po.nds 3':"4; on March- 1, 1973 for ponds 5-8, ,10 a~d 11; a-nd on
Sep'tember 21, 19-72 for ponds 9, 16" 17 and Galena Lakej all "lith
appropriations .dating back to July 1, 1932; and

WHEREAS, the, BOARD has leased from RMBL certain Hater Rights in eleven
glacial shelf ponds and Galena Lake within the Property; which lease
restricts use of the water to'llpiscatorial, non";manipulative. biological
research and teaching, wildlif~ procreation and natural heritage
preservation, not to include the introduction of non-indigenous
species"; and

WHEREAS, the BOARD and RMBL desire to preserve and to protect the.
natural character of said ponds and Galena Lak~; and

WHEREAS, the DEPARTMENT has determined,_ pursuant to its 'criteria,
with the app~ova1 of the Council, that RMBL1s Water Rights for said
ponds and G.a1ena Lake (hereinafter referred to- as Water Rights) qualify
. 'for inclusion-in ,the Colorado Natur~l Areas System as part o~ the desig-
nated -natural area; and
WHEREAS, as a result of the attrihutes of Galena Lake and said
ppnds, the ponds and Lake provide one or more of the benefits described
in C.R.S. 1973. 36-10-104(1);

NOW rHEREFORE. it is hereby agreed that:

1. Designation of Property as a Natural Area. Upon filing of these
Articles of Designation with, and the acceptance, of sam_e by, the
DEPARTMENT, with the advice and approval of the Council, the Property
described in Exhibit A. and th~ Water Rights described in Exhibits D and
E ,. said exhibits being attached her(lto and inc6rporated herein by
reference, shall become a designated scientific natural area and
thereby shall become part of the Colorado Natural Areas Syst~m. Said . :
designated natural area shall be known as the Mexican Cut/Galena
Mountain Scientific Natural Area.

2. Purpose, of Oesignation. The DEPARTMENT has det~rmined, upon
recommendation by the Council, that' the Property and Water Rights
qualify as a natural. area to be included in the Colorado Natural Areas
System due to the fol1Qwing:

a) The Property contains ,a unique series of glacial. shelf ponds
~ontaining a variety of natural. ecosystems for comparative
biological studi~s j, _and

b). The Property contai~s representative samples of spruce-fi~ and
alpine plant communities; and

c) The.1?r'operty'and Ponds 4nd Lake contain additional scientific
attributes as decribed in Exhibit B, attached ~er~to and
incorporated herein by ref~rence; and

d) The P~operty and Ponds and_ Lake are be'ing managed -by RMBL
pursuant' to its lease with TNC as a research preserve. to
continue efforts to minimize the effects of research and
ed..uc:aeional act'ivities, tQ maintain the area as isolated as
possible from external infltiences, and to. foster._basic
research of the highest qu~lity~

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