About
The District was formed in 1949, pursuant to the Water Conservancy Act, Colorado Revised Statutes § 37-45-101, et seq., to construct and manage a reservoir on the Rio Grande. Working with the Bureau of Reclamation, the District's Board selected Wagon Wheel Gap for the construction site and developed plans. However, the people of the San Luis Valley were divided in their support and the reservoir was never built.
The District later stepped into the role of providing augmentation for domestic, commercial, and municipal wells in five counties of the San Luis Valley. This was in response to the State Engineer's rules governing small capacity wells, promulgated in 1972. The District purchased transmountain water rights as well as water rights originating in the Rio Grande Basin and organized an augmentation program. Through the augmentation program, the water rights are used to augment, or replace, the injury to water users caused by the pumping of small wells. Because the District provides this service, there is an opportunity for towns, businesses, and homeowners to obtain new non-exempt wells, allowing for growth in the local economy.
Staff
Heather Dutton
Heather Dutton
Heather Dutton
District Manager
Matt Hildner
Heather Dutton
Heather Dutton
Administrative Assistant and Office Manager