Garfield County leases Ruedi water to conservancy district – Garfield County, Colorado
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A kayaker paddles across Ruedi Reservoir.

Garfield County leases Ruedi water to conservancy district

West Divide Water Conservancy District purchasing 200 acre-feet for beneficial uses

PRESS RELEASE
May 19, 2026

Garfield County is leasing 200 acre-feet of its water right in Ruedi Reservoir to the West Divide Water Conservancy District (WDWCD) to help it meet agricultural and domestic needs this summer. The conservancy district has also expressed its interest in leasing additional water from the county, if available at a later time.

The county holds the rights to 400 acre-feet in the reservoir that can be leased for beneficial uses at a cost of $84.95 per acre-foot. WDWCD President Samuel Potter told the Board of County Commissioners that they’d like to initially lease the 200 acre-feet, and, if available, an additional 185 acre-feet to be held in reserve.

“This is dependent on use with our augmentation plans,” he told the board. “We, potentially, would not use that whole 185 (acre-feet). … If it is available and you have no other use for it, or other people who are interested in it, West Divide would like to be in line for that water.”

Potter added that protecting agricultural interests “is exactly what West Divide does,” and that the water will also support domestic water wells across its service area.

“Our devised augmentation plans have to protect all senior water users, or the plan does not work,” he said. “That’s what we’re doing: protecting all agricultural users by having adequate augmentation water supplies for our program.”

The Garfield County Attorney’s Office has drafted a letter to the Bureau of Reclamation seeking its approval of the lease to WDWCD.

“If we can help out our ag producers, we want to do that,” said Garfield County Commissioner Perry Will.

The board approved the lease of the 200 acre-feet unanimously, 2-0, with the understanding that another 185 acre-feet will be leased this summer, and that WDWCD is interested. Commissioner Tom Jankovsky, who is a WDWCD board member, recused himself from the discussion and vote.