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Author: SanJuan Water

Presentation by Southwestern Water Conservation District, March 25

Risk to the Upper San Juan River Basin – Colorado River Compact Compliance

Tuesday, March 25, 2025 – 4 PM – Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts – 2313 Eagle Drive

This winter’s precipitation in Archuleta County and our surrounding mountains has been below average. The water levels of both Lake Powell and Lake Mead are at about 35 percent.
What does this mean for our San Juan River? On Tuesday evening, March 25, the Southwestern Water Conservation District and Wright Water Engineers will present the results of risk studies undertaken to answer that question. They will explain the assumptions used in modeling the risks. The risk assessments will contain data specific to our upper San Juan River watershed. Steve Wolff (SWCD) and Pete Foster (WWE) will lead the presentation. Craig Dollar of our local Colorado Division of Water Resources will explain the new measurement rules that Colorado water users will follow to document consumption.
This presentation is free and open to the public. Networking with a cash bar will follow.

Save the Date! “Threats to our Water” Premieres May 20

Save the date for the premiere of “Threats to our Water” on Tuesday evening, May 20. The location for the film viewing and networking is the Pagosa Lodge. Details will be announced here and in the Pagosa SUN.

“Threats to our Water” is the third film in the SJWCD series – “This Is Your Watershed: Upper San Juan River.” The first two videos premiered in 2024 to significant local acclaim and community support. Both “The Value of Snow” and “The Waterways that Connect Us” can be viewed on the SJWCD website’s homepage.

In 2024, San Juan Water Conservancy District received funding from Colorado Water Conservation Board, through Southwest Basin Roundtable, to produce three short videos. The purpose of the videos was to educate the general public about our watershed and the video series was titled “This Is Your Watershed: Upper San Juan River.” Professional film-maker, Christi Bode of Moxiecran Media, produced all three films. Christi is currently writing, interviewing, and filming for the third film, “Threats to our Water.”

At the November 2024 premiere of SJWCD’s first two films, the following water groups demonstrated their support of SJWCD and shared their knowledge of all water uses in our upper San Juan River basin.

– Five Rivers Trout Unlimited

– Pagosa Weather

 – San Juan Headwaters Forest Health Partnership

 – San Juan Water Enhancement Partnership

 – Creation Care

 – Town of Pagosa Springs, Pagosa Gateway and Yamaguchi Park

 – Mountain Studies Institute

 – Friends of the Upper San Juan River and Pagosa Paddle

 – Colorado Division of Water

 – Colorado State University Extension and Natural Resources

 – Community Development Corporation

– Water Information Program

SJWCD works to protect San Juan River health and all local water uses – agricultural, environmental, recreational, industrial, and municipal. More information can be found at www.sjwcd.org.

SJWCD Adopts 2025 Strategic Objectives

2025 Strategic Objectives

The Directors of San Juan Water Conservancy District adopted three 2025 Strategic Objectives. The Strategic Objectives flow from the progress made in 2024, but must address the lawsuit filed by Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District. The 2025 goals are still based on the 2021 Strategic Plan. Action goals are dynamic and revised when needed at SJWCD Work Sessions and Meetings.

Each Director agreed to participate in at least one Objective, but all are encouraged to attend and provide input in any Work Session of interest. Public Work Sessions are for purposes of sharing information and moving research forward. There are not opportunities for public comments or set agendas at a Work Session. Actions may only be approved by the full board at monthly Special or Regular Meetings.

The three SJWCD Strategic Objectives for 2025 are:

Objective One

Redefine the financial partnership for Running Iron Ranch. Defend SJWCD’s water and property rights in the PAWSD litigation. Help PAWSD with debt relief. Consider how the litigation can bring SJWCD and PAWSD to cooperate.

Objective Two

Make the case for a reservoir at Running Iron Ranch by defining feasibility and demand. Continue engineering studies. Move ahead with technical work to understand conditions at the ranch as a reservoir site. Plan for future geotechnical work. Engage a consulting engineer to prioritize the work. Consider existing supply and demand for residential users in areas of SJWCD outside the PAWSD boundaries and other demands for water in Archuleta County. Document results well. Investigate the cost of the reservoir and investigate sources of funding.

Objective Three

Engage with the community, including PAWSD, on a project that advances a common community interest, like planning or wildfire mitigation. Participate in Archuleta County Growing Water Smart efforts. Continue to be visible to the public and contribute to the public’s understanding of water resources. Participate in public presentations with other water entities. Release and promote “Threats to our Water,” video three in the “This is Your Watershed: Upper San Juan River” film series.

Wildfire Risk in San Juan Water Conservancy District

The Colorado Wildfire Risk Map indicates that wildfire danger in Archuleta County is significant. The Colorado State Forest Service researches conditions on the ground and provides the public with an on-line Wildfire Risk Viewer.  https://co-pub.coloradoforestatlas.org/#/

The cropped image above shows the SJWCD watershed in Archuleta, Hinsdale, and Mineral Counties. The lower left section of the map is the Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District watershed. This is where our municipal water comes from. The upper right section of the map includes Running Iron Ranch, the proposed location of a small water storage reservoir. (According to the State of Colorado and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, 11,000 acre feet is a small reservoir.) The mission of all legislated Colorado Conservancy Districts is to ensure water for all uses for the future.

Notice of Regular Meeting, February 17

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors of the San Juan Water Conservancy District (SJWCD) is scheduled for Monday, February 17, 2025, at 4 PM (Mountain Standard Time).

The meeting will be at the SJWCD office at 46 Eaton Drive Suite 5, Pagosa Springs, CO. The SJWCD Board may require an Executive Session and discussion of shared documents related to the agenda below. This meeting is in-person, but may be attended by Zoom.

Use the link below to connect to the scheduled Zoom meeting. Only the SJWCD Attorney and Directors will be on Zoom during the Executive Session. The public may be admitted before and following Executive Session. A Zoom attendee may be asked to identify him/herself before being admitted to the meeting.

Topic: SJWCD Regular Meeting

Time: Feb 17, 2025 04:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84801826640?pwd=M9uPIaZT7eXUbnwfzdmPdDtXtytZLb.1

Meeting ID: 848 0182 6640

Passcode: 253997

One tap mobile

+16465588656,,84801826640#,,,,*253997# US (New York)

Dial by your location

• +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdmD0sjCec

Proposed Agenda for the Regular Meeting is as follows:

1. Call to Order

2. Revisions to Agenda and Approval of Agenda

3. Disclosures of Conflict of Interest

4. Public Comment (limited to 3 minutes)

5. Executive Session. Upon an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members present, the San Juan Water Conservancy District will go into executive session pursuant to section 24-6-402(4) of the Colorado Revised Statutes to discuss matters concerning the transfer or sale of real, personal or other property interest pursuant to section 24-6-402(4)(a) of the Colorado Revised Statutes, to confer with the District’s attorney for the purposes of receiving legal advice on specific legal questions pursuant to section 24-6-402(4)(b), C.R.S., and to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategy for negotiations, and instructing negotiators pursuant to section 24-6-402(4)(e), C.R.S., all regarding the potential sale of the Running Iron Ranch on the initiative of the Pagosa Area Water & Sanitation District and related litigation (Case No. 24CV30069 filed in Archuleta County District Court), settlement negotiations, and public statements.

6. Consideration of Actions regarding the Running Iron Ranch and Related Litigation (Case No. 24CV30069 filed in Archuleta County District Court), settlement negotiations, and public statements.

7. Consideration of Attorney’s Report

8. Consideration of Treasurer’s Report

9. Consideration of Adoption of 2025 Strategic Objectives and Director Assignments

10. Consideration of Agreement relating to ending Weber leases at Running Iron Ranch

11. Discussion of engineering and planning activities

12. Updates from Directors

  • County Growing Water Smart application
  • San Juan Headwaters Forest Health Partnership
  • 2-3-2 at Ghost Ranch – Rob
  • SWCD Plans for Risk Assessment Presentation – March 25 in Pagosa
  • SWCD Annual Conference – March 28
  • WECO southwest basin tour – Tentatively June 3 & 4, 2025 (could be June 4 & 5)

13. Discussion of board vacancies and expiring terms

14. Approval of Record of Proceedings from 1/20 Special Meeting

15. Schedule next meeting. Adjournment.

SAN JUAN WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT

By /s/ Sally High

Executive Assistant to the Board of Directors

DISTRICT SEAL

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