BOARD01514

• Board Meeting Date: 5/22/2000
• Description: WSP Section - Arkansas River Basin Issues - Acquisition of Rocky Ford Ditch Rights
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone, [phone]
FAX, [phone]

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MEMORANDUM

TO:
FROM:

Colorado WatjJ. ~ons~n Board Members
Steve Miller 1.c1L..\. \
Interstate Streams and Hy ogi Investigations Section
May 16, 2000
Agenda Item 10.b., May 22-23, 2000, Board Meeting.
Arkansas River Basin Issues -
Acquisition of Rocky Ford Ditch Rights

Bill Owens
Governor

Greg E.Walcher
Executive Director

DATE:
SUBJECT:

Peter H. Evans
ewes Director

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

This agenda item is informational only, and will update the Board and allow for discussion of issues
related to the recent sale of agricultural water rights in the Arkansas River Basin. A representative,
Mr. Ron Ascherman, of the group of Rocky Ford Ditch shareholders selling their water rights, and
a representative, Mr. Jerry Knapp, from the City of Aurora which is purchasing those rights will make
presentations explaining the dynamics of the transaction and subsequent efforts to change the use
of the water rights. Board members are encouraged to ask both representatives questions
concerning the future of irrigated agriculture, the search for additional water supplies by growing
municipalities along the Front Range, and collaborative approaches toward water transfers and
management.

The background for the discussion by Mr. Ascherman and Mr. Knapp is presented in the attached
article from the Wall Street Journal, dated April 25, 2000, entitled "Colorado Farmers Find Their
Water is Worth More Than Their Crops'. The author, Robert Tomsho, spent a significant amount
of time in the Rocky Ford area researching the story, and it provides a fairly accurate portrayal of
the current situation.

While the Board will be hearing from both the buyer and seller in this transaction, it is important to
remember that there are other interested parties also potentially effected by the sale and change
of water rights. Numerous water rights holders, including the Southeastern Colorado Water
Conservancy District (SECWCD) and the Arkansas Valley Ditch Association (AVDA), will be
objectors in water court, to ensure that their rights are not impacted by the proposed change of use.
In addition, members of the communities surrounding Rocky Ford, and local governments in the
region, have concerns about the economic and social viability of the area following the sale. These
concerned people have formed a group called the Otero County Water Committee to explore
options to future water sales and transfers. The Board is helping to fund a study by the SECWCD
that is examining the potential for water banking and interruptible supply contracts to meet municipal
needs for new water supplies and agriculture's need for additional revenue sources. That study is
not yet completed, but at present does not appear to be leading to any dramatic new break
throughs. Mr. Knapp will be explaining some of the concepts being used by Aurora to address and
mitigate concerns expressed by other water users and the local communities.

Neither the objectors, nor representatives from the Water Committee, were invited to speak to the
Board, but they may be in the audience and can certainly be invited to make a presentation at a
future meeting if the Board wishes.

cc: Ron Ascherman, Jerry Knapp, David Robbins, Dennis Montgomery, Wendy Weiss, Steve Witte,
Steve Arveschoug