WHAT ARE LAPLAWDS WATER SOURCES?
There are presently many options to obtain 2,000 acre-feet and there will be more once LAPLAWD is formed. Many entities interested in providing water can not enter into negotiations until LAPLAWD is formed and able to consummate an agreement. One of the first decisions to be made by the Board, after the district is formed, is to decide which source(s) to use for the initial 2,000 acre-feet. LAPLAWD holds conditional water rights in the Animas River, the Pine River, and the Piedra River. An average of approximately 1,000,000 acre-feet per year leaves the state from these three rivers. (In 2002, the most water short year, about 225,000 acre-feet flowed out of Colorado.) In addition, the Task Force has preliminary indications that water could be provided from Electra Lake and the Animas-LaPlata Project. Also, if available, the best initial source of water would be the Pine River using water from Vallecito Reservoir out of the Pine River Irrigation District Voluntary Pool.
