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Author: SanJuan Water

New Water Measuring Rules Take Effect

The Colorado Division of Water Resources (DWR) has announced new water measurement rules that take effect on June 1, 2025 for the San Juan and Dolores River Basins. The rules apply to irrigation and other diversions of water from surface and groundwater sources.

Colorado intends to measure and document all water used within its boundaries, so that its numbers stated in ongoing Colorado River Compact negotiations are valid. Since consumptive agricultural water use accounts for most of the water used in Colorado, water rights owners who irrigate are affected. Our local Water Commissioners are responsible for ensuring accurate measurement and record-keeping.

San Juan Water Conservancy District is in Division 7 and the Pagosa Division of Water  Resources office is at 46 Eaton Drive. Commissioners Craig Dollar, Becky Guilliams, and Rick Valdez staff the local office and work with Archuleta County water users.

The following statement was issued by Colorado Division of Water Resources on May 16, 2025.

“The Colorado Division of Water Resources announced that starting June 1, 2025, new rules governing the measurement of surface and groundwater diversions and storage will be in effect for Division 7. The division includes the San Juan and Dolores River Basins. The rules do not apply to water users who obtain their water directly from a municipal provider, rural water supplier, or a ditch company, as those entities are required to have measurement where they divert from the stream or ground.

For background, Colorado statutes include a requirement that owners of ditches and reservoirs install headgates where water is taken from the natural stream. These statutes also give the state and division engineer the authority to require owners and users of water rights to install measuring devices.

Accurate measurement of diversions is critical to protect Colorado’s entitlement to water, including under the Colorado River Compact, and to ensure that we are maximizing the beneficial use of the public’s water resource for consumptive and environmental purposes.

The statutes, however, do not include any specifics regarding what is considered an acceptable headgate or measuring device. Historically, it has been administered by the Division of Water Resources through issuing orders to owners for the installation of headgates or measuring devices.

The rules describe two types of measurement methods: measuring devices, which are physical devices (flumes, weirs, etc.) that are placed in a diversion for measurement, and alternative measurement methods, which are typically indirect methods of measuring flow rates without a physical device.

Time frames for installation of headgates and measuring devices vary from one to four years based on the diversion amount and location. Water users are encouraged to view the Rules to determine the applicable time frame. 

Water users unsure of their decreed water right or permitted well permit flow rates and volumes can use DWR’s online tools available at https://dwr.state.co.us/Tools to find this information. Anyone who has questions regarding how these rules apply to their diversion or how to install a measuring device on their system can contact the Water Commissioner in your Water District at https://dwr.colorado.gov/about-us/contact-us/division-7-durango-contacts or the Divison 7 office at 970-731-2931.”

“This Is Your Watershed” Film Event, May 20

Join us for the premiere of “In Between Water and Fire,” the third film in SJWCD’s “This Is Your Watershed” series. The location is Pagosa Lodge on May 20 at 5:30 pm. In addition to viewing all three Upper San Juan Watershed films, guests will enjoy relevant discussions about water and related issues. There is no charge.

Notice of Special Meeting, May 12

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Special Meeting of the Board of Directors of the San Juan Water Conservancy District (SJWCD) is scheduled for Monday, May 12, 2025, at 4 PM (Mountain Standard Time).

The meeting will be at the SJWCD office, 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. An unknown Zoom attendee will be asked to identify him/herself before being admitted to the meeting.

San Juan Water Conservancy District is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: SJWCD Special Meeting

Time: May 12, 2025 04:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86205384307?pwd=yFflodewT04BZUbq99361ZDl7WlEQj.1

Meeting ID: 862 0538 4307

Passcode: 138438

One tap mobile

+16469313860,,86205384307#,,,,*138438# US

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k8UOjCyZ2

Proposed Agenda for the Special Meeting is as follows:

1. Call to Order

2. Revisions to Agenda and Approval of Agenda

3. Disclosures of Conflict of Interest

4. Opportunity for Public Comment (3-minute limit)

5. Oath for Renewal of Director Hagberg

6. Attorney’s Report

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. Consideration of Additional WEP Grant Funding (Pfister)

10. Consideration of Yeh Final Report and Strategy for Next Steps (Cooper & Riehm)

11. Consideration of Director(s) to Write Request for Proposals for Design Professional Services

12. Consideration of Arrangement for Services by Graduate Intern Monica Nigon / Cancelation of Blue Elements Contract (Jones)

13. Consideration of Scope for Education and Outreach Project (Nigon)

14. Discussion of Film Premiere Event / Specific Assignments and Times for Set-Up

15. Updates from Directors

  • Upcoming 2-3-2 Pagosa Event, 4/21 & 22. Full Partnership Meeting all day May 22. Meet and Greet at Riff Raff, May 22
  • WECO Southwest River Basin Tour, June 3-4
  • Support Headwaters Forest Health Partnership at 19th Hole one Thursday in June
  • Special District Association Meeting in Durango, June 20
  • We Are Water (Power House, University of Colorado, Natl Science Foundation) May 10 (Riehm & Hagberg)
  • Forest Council Tour hosted by Veronica Medina, April 28-29
  • Southwest Basin Roundtable Meeting, Water Supply Reserve Fund Grant endorsements
  • Other updates of mutual interest

16. Strategic Objective Reports

  • Strategic Objective 1: Redefine the financial partnership for Running Iron Ranch. (Directors Tedder, Riehm, Cooper, Proffitt)
  • Strategic Objective 2: Make the case for a reservoir at RIR by defining feasibility and demand. (Directors Cooper, Hagberg, Kappelman)
  • • Strategic Objective 3: Engage with the community, including PAWSD, on a project that advances a common community interest, like a planning/municipal water demand study and/or wildfire mitigation. (Directors Hagberg, Nobles, Nossaman, Tedder)

17. Approval of Record of Proceedings from 4/14 Regular Meeting

18. Schedule next meeting. Adjournment.

SAN JUAN WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT

By /s/ Sally High

Executive Assistant to the Board of Directors

DISTRICT SEAL

Notice of Work Session, May 1

San Juan Water Conservancy District scheduled a Work Session for 1 PM on Thursday, May 1, at 46 Eaton Drive Suite 5. All Directors are welcome to engage in discussion with Monica Nigon, SJWCD Intern from Blue Elements (Americorps). A Work Session is open to the public. There is no agenda, no Zoom, no opportunity for public comment, and no actions will be taken.

Risks to Upper San Juan River and Compact Compliance

About 80 community members gathered on Tuesday, March 25, to learn about risks to our Upper San Juan River Basin that could result from future compliance with the 1922 Colorado River Compact. San Juan Water Conservancy District invited the community to the 2-hour presentation from Southwestern Water Conservation District, Wright Water Engineers, and Colorado Division of Water.

San Juan Water Conservancy District is an active leader in all issues affecting the water resources of the Upper San Juan River Basin. Watch the presentation here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMnUJhgleQU

San Juan Water Conservancy District also recommends this explanation of Colorado Compact issues. https://aspenjournalism.org/dwindling-water-supply-legal-questions-push-colorado-river-into-wildly-uncharted-territory/

Notice of Regular Meeting, April 14

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, April 14, 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. An unknown Zoom attendee will be asked to identify him/herself before being admitted to the meeting.

San Juan Water Conservancy District is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: SJWCD Regular Meeting

Time: Apr 14, 2025 04:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85091971515?pwd=GJemN9z1V2gtZu6ioeBdnPgDnhKSrT.1

Meeting ID: 850 9197 1515

Passcode: 453011

One tap mobile

+13126266799,,85091971515#,,,,*453011# US (Chicago)

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdrjyX3VdK

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. Consideration of Yeh Draft Report

5. Attorney’s Report

  • Consideration to Approve New and Renewing Directors / Oath of Office
  • Water Rights Updates

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Consideration of Treasurer’s Report

9. Consideration of Blue Elements (AmeriCorps) Contract. Introduce Monica Nigon.

10. Updates from Directors

  • Upcoming 2-3-2 Pagosa Event, 4/21 & 22, Pagosa Lodge (Hagberg, Tedder, Executive Assistant)
  • SWCD Annual Conference, 3/28. (Cooper, Hagberg, Kappelman, Jones, Proffitt)
  • PARC 4/3 meeting (Nobles, Tedder)
  • Earth Day, Centennial Park, April 19
  • We Are Water (Power House, University of CO, Natl Science Foundation), May 10 (Executive Assistant, Hagberg, Riehm)
  • Children’s Water Festival (Jones)
  • Special District Association Regional Meeting, Durango, 6/20 (Jones)
  • Other updates of mutual interest

11. Strategic Objective Reports.

  • Strategic Objective 1: Redefine the financial partnership for Running Iron Ranch. (Directors Tedder, Riehm, Cooper, Proffitt)
  • Report on “Roadmap” Work Session (Tedder)
  • Report on Fence Line Work Session with PAWSD (Riehm, Hagberg) • Strategic Objective 2: Make the case for a reservoir at RIR by defining feasibility and demand. (Directors Cooper, Hagberg)

Add Director Kappelman

  • • Strategic Objective 3: Engage with the community, including PAWSD, on a project that advances a common community interest, like a planning/municipal water demand study and/or wildfire mitigation. (Directors Hagberg, Nobles, Nossaman, Tedder)
  • “Threats to our Watershed” Film Premiere arrangements and schedule
  • SJHFHP’s Discussion of Archuleta County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
  • Board volunteer responsibilities
  • Hospitality plans

12. Approval of (revised) Record of Proceedings from 3/17 Special Meeting

13. Schedule next meeting. Adjournment.

SAN JUAN WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT

By /s/ Sally High

Executive Assistant to the Board of Directors

DISTRICT SEAL

Notice of Work Session, March 25

San Juan Water Conservancy District scheduled a Work Session for 1 PM on Tuesday, March 25, at 46 Eaton Drive Suite 5. All Directors are welcome to engage in a discussion of Strategic Objective One: Redefine the financial partnership for Running Iron Ranch. A Work Session is open to the public. There is no agenda, no opportunity for public comment, and no actions will be taken.

Notice of Work Session, March 24

San Juan Water Conservancy District has scheduled a joint Work Session with Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District for 10 AM on Monday, March 24. Members of  both boards will meet at the entrance to Running Iron Ranch. The topic of the Work Session is the current and future maintenance of the jointly owned property. A work session is open to the public. There is no agenda or opportunity for public comment. No actions or decisions will be made.

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