Congresswoman Lauren Boebert Leads Effort to Increase Water Storage and Build New Reservoir

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert supported the Huerfano Water Conservancy District’s effort to combat drought by enlarging the Maria-Stevens Reservoir, connecting three existing reservoirs, and building the Bruce Canyon Reservoir.

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert stated, “The new Bruce Canyon Reservoir and other Cucharas Basin Storage Collaborative water projects will be transformational for our communities. These locally-driven solutions will add thousands of acre-feet of water storage.”

President of the Huerfano Water Conservancy District Scott D. King said, “Congresswoman Boebert, I would like to thank you for your letter of support for our water project in Huerfano County. On behalf of our Board of Directors, we appreciate your taking time to support rural water. We look forward to reaching out to you in the future.”

Background:

Over the past seven years, multiple local agencies and organizations have worked together with the Huerfano County Water Conservancy District to help develop the Cucharas Basin Storage Collaborative. This Collaborative is working on building water projects that will help supply water to La Veta and benefit local agriculture.

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert has been working hard on water issues for the District:

• Supporting 566 water projects that would provide new or improved ditches, pipelines, conveyance, and storage for Conejos, Alamosa, Rio Grande, and Mineral counties.
• Advocating to defeat the misguided proposal put forth by the Denver suburbs to steal seven billion gallons of water per year in perpetuity from the San Luis Valley.
• Introducing the Western Water Security Act to protect private water rights, defend against federal water grabs, and help ensure an abundant supply of clean water for future generations.
• Fighting federal bureaucracy to get the San Luis Valley weather radar online to improve precipitation forecasting for local water districts.
• Aggressively working to remove invasive salt cedar and Russian olive trees that are guzzling water and recently worked with Montezuma County to secure an important appropriations victory that passed the House and will allow for a pilot program to combat salt cedars. Salt cedars consume about 200 gallons of water per day per plant.
• Defending private water rights from Biden’s attempt to reinstate the controversial Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.
• Introducing the bipartisan House Companion to the Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act to protect private water rights and conserve the Dolores River.
• Securing $10 million for the Indian Irrigation Fund to address the deferred maintenance backlog and increase water storage projects like the Southern Utes’ Pine River Indian Irrigation Project.
• Introducing H.R. 4302, comprehensive forestry legislation, that will improve forest health and improve water quality while also helping protect our watersheds and municipal water supplies.

The full text of Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s letter to State Conservationist Clint Evans supporting additional water storage is available here and below.

Dear Mr. Evans:

I write in strong support of a local effort in Huerfano County to help preserve Colorado’s water through increased storage capacity connected to the Upper Cucharas River. Over the past seven years, multiple local agencies and organizations have worked together with the Huerfano County Water Conservancy District to help develop the Cucharas Basin Storage Collaborative, which is a potential Public Law 566 project.

The goal of the collaborative is to increase water storage for the benefit of the underserved population in and near La Veta, which struggles annually with low levels of precipitation. The Cucharas Basin Storage Collaborative effort would enlarge the Maria-Stevens Reservoir, connect three smaller existing reservoirs, and add a proposed Bruce Canyon Reservoir for a total addition of 1,900 acre-feet of water storage. This water saving system would benefit local agriculture, provide for municipal, industrial and augmentation uses, and provide added benefits of fishing and flat-water boating.

The collaborative has achieved a Water Court Decree for the planned storage facilities and water exchanges, plus it has intergovernmental agreements in place for the project’s implementation.  Engineering work to determine feasibility and produce initial project design and cost estimates is also completed; and the next steps are planning and capital funding.

As Representative for Colorado’s largest district, I place a high priority on preserving Colorado’s water for the benefit of Colorado’s citizens. I commend Huerfano County’s citizens for their hard work and foresight in preparing the Cucharas Basin Storage Collaborative to this point, and I strongly encourage NRCS to give full consideration to this watershed program planning project in Hydrologic Unit Code #1102000604 – Upper Cucharas River.

Sincerely,
 

Lauren Boebert

U.S. Congresswoman (CO-03)