Stay involved in the fight to stop water removal from the San Luis Valley

Rio Grande River view from Alamosa Riparian Park 

Here is the latest on the Renewable Water Resources Plans (RWR) to take water from the San Luis Valley and Export it to Douglas County

Tune into Upcoming Douglas County Public Meetings 

1. Monday, January 24 at 1pm – Colorado Water Law

2. Monday, January 31 at 2pm – San Luis Valley Water Impacts

3. Monday, February 7 at 2pm – San Luis Valley Economic Impacts

4. Wednesday, February 23 at 9am – Environmental Impacts

5. Monday, February 28 at 1pm – Front Range Impacts

6. Finally, the Board will meet with local elected officials in the San Luis Valley. This meeting has not been scheduled yet, but will likely be in person in the San Luis Valley.

Very Important!

Check out the lastest Alamosa Citizen Article about the proposal to export water from the San Luis Valley. Sign up for a subscription to support good reporting.

 State Engineer: RWR made “inaccurate portrayal” in its proposal

Facts

1. The RWR plan would divert 22,000 acre feet of water per year of San Luis Valley water to Douglas County, the 6th wealthiest County in the United States. 

2. The RWR proposal calls for the commissioners of Douglas County to allocate $20 million they received through the taxpayer funded American Rescue Plan to assist the company in exporting the water.

3. The Douglas County commissioners must make a decision as to whether or not to move forward with the plan. The three commissioners seem split on their decision.

Drought

1. The San Luis Valley receives less precipitation than nearly any other region in Colorado.

2. Between July 2019 and July 2020 the valley’s unconfined aquifer, which is fed by the Rio Grande River, dropped by 112,600 acre-feet. 

3. The state of Colorado has Rio Grande water delivery compact obligations to the downstream states of New Mexico, who have obligations to Texas, who have obligations to the Country of Mexico. Tensions are already brewing around Elephant Butte Reservoir, in southern New Mexico, where storage is at 7.3% of capacity. 

Renewable Water Resources

The Douglas County Commissioners held their first work session regarding Renewable Water Resources (RWR) proposal, Tuesday, January 18th. Presentations were heard from Bruce Lytle, Renewable Water Resources Engineer and Mike Sullivan, Engineer, State of Colorado, Water Division 3, Alamosa. The meeting was approx. 1 hour and 45 minutes. 

Missed it? We are working on getting the recording link, and we will send your way when we get it. 

Put your voice to action!