WSP04285

• File Number: 8446
• Description: Cache La Poudre Platte Project
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 5/1/1974
• Author: J. R. Barkley
• Title: Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District What is it? Why was it Created? What has it Done and What is it Doing For Northern Colorado?
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

two hundred canal and reservoir systems capable of serving three-quarters of
a million acres of rich agricultural land-if and when enough water was available.
Crops and income may have withered and died-but the; pioneering spirit of
Northern Colorado's people had not.

WHAT IS THIS DISTRICT?

First, it is a public agency, as has already been stated. It embraces the
principal bodies of developed irrigated land in the valleys of the four prin-
cipal tributaries of the South Platte and in the valley of the main South Platte
itself from Greeley to the Nebraska line. Its western boundary parallels the
foothills from the southern limits of the city of Boulder to a point some twen.
ty miles northwest of the city of Fort Collins. East of that boundary are the
valleys of Boulder Creek, the St. Vrain, Big Thompson, Cache la Poudre, and
main South Platte Rivers. Total area of the District is nearly 1,500,000 acres
embracing portions of Boulder, Larimer, Weld, Morgan, Logan, Washington,
and Sedgwick counties.

WHY WAS IT CREATED?

Much history has been written and many tributes paid to the area leaders
who concluded that, in some way and by Some means, a supplemental and
stabilizing water supply for the area had to be found and developed. Suffice
it to say that the way was found by transmountain diversion of water from
the headwaters of the Colorado River to the South Platte basin through the
construction of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project-more familiarly known
as the Big Tom or the C-BT.
The means is an agency that contracted for that project construction. It
is a political subdivision of the State-a quasi-municipal corporation named
Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District. It belongs to the people who
reside within its boundaries. It is their district. .A fraction of their property
taxes and some part of their water assessments or water bills support it.
With the growth that has taken place along or near the Front Range, par-
ticularly in the cities of Boulder, Longmont, Loveland, FC?rt Collins, and
Greeley, the population of the District is nearly four times as great as it was
when the District was created in September 1937. Hence, ii has four times as
many people who might be termed as its "stockholders" and who. should have
an interest in what it is; why it was created; what it has done; and what it is
doing for the benefi~ of the Northern Colorado people to whom it belongs.

The District was created under enabling legislation known as the Conservancy
District Act of Colorado adopted in May of 1937. The act:was drafted to fit
the needs of Northern Colorado for a form of entity which' could acquire water;
obtain rights-of~way for works; contract with the United States or otherwise
provide for construction of facilities; assume contractual or bonded indebted-
ness; administer, operate, and maintain physical works; have authority to con-
serve, control, allocate, and distribute water supplies for supplemental use; and
have taxing and contracting authority to derive the revenues needed to accomp.
lish its purposes.
With the broad authority embodied in the enabling act, :the people of North-
ern Colorado acquired the vehicle needed to establish their. own agency for pro-
moting, contracting for construction, and financing their supplemental water
supply project. Boundaries of the area- to be benefited were determined. Peti-
tions for creation. of the District were circulated for signature by the number of
property owners required by the Conservancy District Act. The petitions were
presented to the district court of Weld County; were determined to be proper
and sufficient; and Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District was created
by order of that court on September 20, 1937. By law, the courts appoint the
members of the Board of Directors to form the policy making body of the
District. At the time of formation, the court took into account the equity of
geographic representation. The major area of direct water delivery service is
represented by three directors from each of the counties of Boulder, Larimer,
and Weld. The main stem of the South.Plawi, served indirectly by return
flows, is represented by one director fro~ the combined area within Morgan and
Washington counties, and by one director from each of the counties of Logan
and Sedgwick.

WHAT HAS THE DISTRICT DONE?

The prime task of the original District Board waS the negotiation of a con-
tract with the United States of America for the construction by the Bureau
of Reclamation of the congressionally authorized Colorado-Big Thompson
Project. A contract, satisfactory to the Board. was submitted to an election