Serving the
Roaring Fork Valley
since 1964

Basalt Water Conservancy District - Conserve, Develop, Stabilize.

Formation of the District

The Basalt Water Conservancy District (“BWCD” or “District”)) is a Colorado Water Conservancy District created under the authority of the Colorado Water Conservancy District Act, Colo. Rev. Stat. § 37-45-101 et seq. The BWCD was created by decree of the Garfield County District Court in C.A. 5593 on April 24, 1964. The District’s purpose is to conserve, develop, and stabilize supplies of water for domestic, irrigation, manufacturing, and other beneficial uses within those parts of Eagle, Garfield, and Pitkin counties included within its boundaries. Click here for a map of the District’s boundaries, which primarily includes the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan River drainages.

Map of the Basalt Water Conservancy District boundaries.

Aerial view of the Third Street Center in Carbondale, Colorado

The Seven Divisions

District Organization

The District is divided into seven divisions from which are appointed a total of eight directors who constitute the District’s Board of Directors. The District’s Directors generally meet on the second Tuesday of every month at the Third Street Center in Carbondale, Colorado at 7:00 p.m. However, meetings are occasionally vacated so please email or call the District to double check the meeting time, date, and location if you plan on attending.

Water Rights Decrees

District Operations

The District holds various water rights decrees as a result of adjudications in connection with the Basalt Project. The principle feature of Basalt Project is Ruedi Reservoir constructed by the United States Bureau of Reclamation on the Fryingpan River above Basalt, Colorado. The District holds contracts for storage rights in Ruedi Reservoir and Green Mountain Reservoir as well as direct flow rights, which it uses to secure dependable water supplies for water users within the District’s boundaries. The District uses its direct flow rights and storage rights in Ruedi Reservoir and Green Mountain Reservoir to provide year-round water right protection to its constituents. In most cases, those contracting with the District obtain their physical water supply from ground water wells or springs located in the Roaring Fork River and Fryingpan River basins.

Green Mountain Reservoir

Water Terms

District Service

Contracts

Public Notices

What does the BWCD do?

Water Conservancy Districts exist due to the Water Conservancy Act of 1937. One of the original intents of this act was for individual conservancy districts to form for the purpose of contracting with the federal government for delivery of water from federal reclamation projects. Today, the focus has shifted to non-federal water development along with local water conservation and management. The Basalt Water Conservancy District helps fill the gap between the administrative and public sides of daily water use while also fostering growth and economic prosperity within the Roaring Fork Valley. This is accomplished by conserving, developing, and stabilizing water supplies within its service area. Each of these primary functions are further discussed below.

Conserve

Historically, the District viewed storage supplies as a way to conserve water by storing and protecting it for subsequent use. While still applicable, water conservation is now more commonly portrayed as the beneficial reduction in water use to optimize the use of current water supplies. The District promotes water conservation by:

Water Management: Managing and controlling the use, distribution, and delivery of water.
Water Storage: Holding storage rights in Ruedi, Green Mountain, and Ivanhoe Reservoirs.
Educational Efforts: i.e. Educating communities and schools about the importance of natural resources and encourage water-saving practices.

Develop

The District evaluates additional water supplies to expand its umbrella augmentation service area and may also partner with other agencies for water supply development projects within the Roaring Fork Valley. This may include acquiring storage in existing reservoirs or constructing new dams and reservoirs. These reservoirs assist with drought mitigation, flood control, and recreation.