Some 50 Valley residents gathered in the multi-purpose room at Custer County School last Wednesday night to hear what City of Fountain officials had to say about their plans for the H2O ranch west of Westcliffe.

The City of Fountain purchased the 480-acre ranch for $3.5 million in partnership with the city of Widefield in March 2008 to acquire some 700-acre-feet of water.

The ranch is located about two-and one-half miles west of Westcliffe on Kettle Lane.

The purpose of the meeting, said Fountain and Widefield officials, was to let locals know what the future plans are for the water.

“We are taking a forthright approach with no secrets,” said City of Fountain Utilities Director Larry Patterson. “We want to communicate with everyone and hear what they have to say.”

Patterson said the cities of Fountain and Widefield need additional water supplies in order to meet future demands. “That’s why we purchased the H2O ranch,” said Patterson.

Patterson went on to say the two cities practice aggressive conservation measures.

Patterson also said the H2O ranch case has been filed in state water court, and he expects the case to take up to four years for completion.

As part of the process for water court, said Patterson, the two entities are providing an engineering review and opinion regarding the water rights on the H2O ranch.

Also in the works, said Patterson, are individual meetings with neighboring property owners.

“We do not want to harm our neighbors’ ability to receive their water,” said Patterson.

Patterson said as Custer County landowners, the cities of Fountain and Widefield consider themselves a part of the community and as such they are trying to balance their need for the water with the impact to the local community. 

As a result, said Patterson, under consideration is a 10 to 15 year lease with a local rancher to farm the land with part of the water.

“Our number one consideration at this time,” said Paterson, “is to lease the land with part of the water.”

The amount of water which would be leased with the land, said Patterson, will depend upon the final water decree.

Patterson also said, “We are not in the development business,” adding that the land will probably be sold sometime in the future.

Other considerations, said Patterson, are placing a part of the ranch in a conservation easement, and working with the Upper Arkansas Water Conservation District to exchange the water.

The UAWCD is in the process of obtaining a blanket water augmentation for Custer County.

Patterson concluded by saying no final decisions would be made until the court decrees the water.

Many questions by local attendees centered on basic Colorado water law.

Others were concerned that with the two cities taking the water, the land on the ranch would turn brown. Patterson responded by saying reports indicate the sub-irrigation water would keep the land green.

– Nora Drenner