This Act directs the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to transfer ownership of the site known as Crystal Reservoir and about 45 acres of surrounding land to the City of Ouray. The conveyance includes the lake, Full Moon Dam and its spillway and outlet, Full Moon Ditch and Reservoir Number 10, associated infrastructure, and the related water rights described in a 1942 Colorado decree. The transfer is to be made by quitclaim deed, subject to valid existing rights and a reversionary interest, and will generally be completed at no cost to the City except for any surveys the City requests. The Secretary will pay other conveyance costs. After transfer, the City must grant easements to the Secretary for existing trails and roads, assume responsibility for repairs, operation, and maintenance of the dam and related infrastructure, keep the land as open space with free public recreational access in perpetuity, and limit development to what is needed for reservoir operations. The City may not expand the historical footprint of the reservoir in a way that would harm upstream wetlands, though it may deepen the reservoir consistent with its water rights. The Secretary must finalize a map and legal description, and the structure known as Red Mountain Ditch may continue to be used by the City for its decreed purposes. The City must manage the water rights in accordance with applicable state water law.
If you live in or visit the area, the City of Ouray would own and manage Crystal Reservoir and the roughly 45-acre parcel around it. The site must be kept open for public recreation, including fishing, and the City may not charge a fee for recreational access. The City will be responsible for dam upkeep and other repairs after the transfer. Water storage and releases from the reservoir must follow the City’s water rights and Colorado water law.
The Act says the Secretary will pay all costs tied to completing the conveyance except that the City must pay for any surveys needed to carry out the transfer. After the conveyance, the City must pay the costs for repairs, operation, and maintenance of Full Moon Dam and related infrastructure. No publicly available information on estimated dollar amounts or financial impact is included in the text.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.