Author: SanJuan Water
Water Shortage and Climate Numbers Tell the Truth
The Colorado temperature map pictured here is created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and published by Colorado State University’s Climate Center in late 2025.
For a deep dive into the status of the Southwest Region of Colorado’s Western Slope, read this excellent academic article: “Unraveling the Drivers of Water Shortage across Spatial Scales and Sectors in Colorado’s West Slope River Basins.” The Water Shortage article was published in early 2026. Link to the pdf version here.
West Slope Drainages
Restoring a Watershed with Community
Community Building by Restoring a Watershed: Lo-tech process-based restoration in Pagosa Springs
Monica Nigon’s story map describing the watershed restoration project undertaken in partnership with San Juan Water Conservancy District is complete. Follow the link above to Monica’s final product.
San Juan Water Conservancy District has benefitted from the work of Monica Nigon, a graduate student at Western Colorado University and an Americorps intern, since June 2025. Water-saving Zeedyk structures are now in place in Turkey Springs on US Forest Service land thanks to Monica. Monica now leads the San Juan Headwaters Forest Health Partnership.
Monica helped SJWCD when they co-sponsored a viewing of the first episode of “Thinking Like Water” at the Liberty Theater. In early September, Chama Peak Land Alliance, Watershed Enhancement Partnership, SJWCD, and the Quivera Foundation brought the film and subsequent discussion to a full house of interested citizens.
Following the film screening of “Thinking Like Water,” a group of generous volunteers signed up for a day of building Zeedyk structures at Turkey Springs on Saturday, September 20. Zeedyk structures, named after the man who created them, Bill Zeedyk, are effective watershed and wet meadow restoration methods. Installing these structures involves low-tech process-based restoration practices, utilizing rocks and logs to slow down water in a drainage. This allows the water to be stored in the watershed while also preventing sediment runoff.
The volunteers worked incredibly hard until weather came in, building a Zuni Bowl and two One-Rock-Dams at a damaged watershed near Turkey Springs. This project was conducted as part of Monica Nigon’s Master of Environmental Management project.
We all learned a lot about watershed restoration processes. SJWCD intends that this be the first of many watershed restoration events to come. If you have further questions about Zeedyk structures or wet meadow restoration in the Upper San Juan River Basin, please contact Monica at nigon.monica@gmail.com.
Vacancies
The San Juan Water Conservancy District (SJWCD or District) is governed by a 3-9 member Board of Directors who serve four-year terms. The Board adopts an annual budget to serve its mission. Meetings are held at the District’s office at 4670 West Highway 160, Pagosa Springs, Colorado 81147.
The Board has three vacancies as of March 21, 2026.
The San Juan Water Conservancy District (SJWCD or District) was formed in 1987 under the Water Conservancy Act (Colorado Revised Statutes Title 37, Article 45) by a vote of the electors in 1987. SJWCD is charged with providing water conservation, water resources planning, stream improvement, water rights protection, and development services within its service area, which includes most of the urban and suburban areas of Archuleta County, centered on the town of Pagosa Springs.
The SJWCD has the statutory authority to appropriate water rights, to have and exercise the power of eminent domain to sponsor water resources projects, to construct water development projects, to develop and operate augmentation plans, and to appropriate recreational in-channel diversion rights, among other powers.
The mission of San Juan Water Conservancy District is to be an active leader in all issues affecting the water resources of the Upper San Juan River Basin.
Need for Supply and Demand Data Identified Ahead of Mediation
San Juan Water Conservancy District is preparing with legal counsel for upcoming mediation with Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District (PAWSD). Following an Executive Session in SJWCD’s February 16, 2026 Regular Meeting, the Board of Directors approved the following statement, but took no other action.
“This board is committed to efforts to end the frivolous and costly litigation that PAWSD started more than a year ago. It has cost these boards, and therefore, the taxpayers and ratepayers, a lot. We have long seen the need for a demand and water supply analysis of a sufficient time horizon by qualified professionals as providing a path to common ground. I see it as being an essential component to settlement. The entire community benefits from planning based on the best available forecasts. PAWSD should embrace the opportunity to demonstrate how it is prepared to serve ratepayers and the limits of what PAWSD can be counted on to provide.
This is not the only essential element of a compromise, but it is significant not only to end this costly litigation, but to serve the interests of the community looking ahead.”
Notice of Special Meeting, March 16
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Special Meeting of the Board of Directors of the San Juan Water Conservancy District (SJWCD) is scheduled for Monday, March 16, 2026, at 4 PM (Mountain Standard Time).
The meeting will be held at 4670 West Highway 160 Suite A2, Pagosa Springs, CO. This meeting is in person, but may be attended by Zoom. Use the link below to connect to the scheduled Zoom meeting.
The public will be admitted before and after an Executive Session. Any unknown Zoom attendee will be asked to identify him/herself before being admitted to the meeting.
San Juan Water Conservancy District is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: SJWCD Special Meeting
Time: Mar 16, 2026 04:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85998087666?pwd=MjUya88EZ3oXPSLF207btEMTbn5hYn.1
Meeting ID: 859 9808 7666
Passcode: 904103
One tap mobile
+13052241968,85998087666#,,,,*904103# US
Proposed Agenda for the Special Meeting is as follows:
1. Call to Order
2. Revisions to Agenda and Approval of Agenda
3. Disclosures of Conflict of Interest
4. Public Comment (limit 3 minutes)
5. Executive Session. Upon an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members present, the San Juan Water Conservancy District will go into executive session pursuant to section 24-6-402(4) of the Colorado Revised Statutes to discuss:
A. matters concerning the transfer or sale of real, personal or other property interest pursuant to section 24-6-402(4)(a) of the Colorado Revised Statutes, for the purpose of receiving legal advice on specific legal questions and to discuss strategy with the District’s attorney pursuant to section 24-6-402(4)(b), Colorado Revised Statutes and to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategy for negotiations, and instructing negotiators pursuant to section 24-6-402(4)(e), Colorado Revised Statutes, all regarding the potential sale of the Running Iron Ranch on the initiative of the Pagosa Area Water & Sanitation District and related litigation (Case No. 24CV30069 filed in Archuleta County District Court), settlement negotiations, and public statements.
B. matters concerning water rights cases pursuant to section 24-6-402(4) of the Colorado Revised Statutes for the purpose of receiving legal advice on specific legal questions pursuant to section 24-6-402(4)(b), Colorado Revised Statutes and to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategy for negotiations, and instructing negotiators pursuant to section 24-6-402(4)(e), C.R.S., all regarding pending water rights cases, settlement negotiations, and public statements.
6. Consideration of Actions Related to Litigation (Case No. 24CV30069 filed in Archuleta County District Court) and sale of Running Iron Ranch initiated by PAWSD.
7. Attorney’s Report
8. Treasurer’s Report
9. Update on Submission to Bureau of Reclamation and RJH engagement
10. Updates from Directors
- Earth Day – Sunday, April 26
- SWCD Annual Meeting – March 27 at Sky Ute
- 3-2-3 meeting – Feb 24 & 25 in Espanola (Rob)
- Headwaters – WRAP grant application (Joe)
- Other items of interest
12. Discussion of Expiring Board Terms
13. Consideration of Approval of Record of Proceedings from February 16 Special Meeting
14. Reminder of next Board meeting, Monday, April 20, 4 pm
SAN JUAN WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT
By /s/ Sally High
Executive Assistant to the Board of Directors
DISTRICT SEAL
Feasibility Study Submitted to Advance Reservoir Planning
San Juan Water Conservancy District and RJH Engineering Consultants have submitted a feasibility study (Final Feasibility Report) to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
In November 2025, San Juan Water Conservancy District entered a contract with RJH Engineering Consultants (https://www.rjh-consultants.com) to advance planning for water storage at Running Iron Ranch. An off-channel reservoir of up to eleven thousand acre feet has been proposed to serve Archuleta County.
A more detailed feasibility study is essential to the first phase of planning in order to meet a qualification deadline for a Bureau of Reclamation Small Storage grant consideration. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation defines a reservoir of this proposed size as small storage.
In May 2025, Yeh Engineering (https://www.yeh-eng.com) submitted a Preliminary Geotechnical and Geologic Hazards Report, an early Feasibility Report. The Final Report followed a period of engagement and extensive clarifications with SJWCD board members.
Following the completion of Yeh’s Final Report, SJWCD issued Requests for Proposals from qualified engineering firms with experience in building water storage facilities, large and small. After thorough research, deliberation, and on-site exploration, RJH was hired to move the project forward.
San Juan Water Conservancy District recognizes the need for extensive reservoir planning, engineering, and funding for water storage at Running Iron Ranch. SJWCD will post updates here as reservoir planning advances. The Colorado Water Conservation Board, SJWCD, and Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District own Running Iron Ranch.
SJWCD was created in 1987 in accordance with the Water Conservancy Act. The District is located at the headwaters of the San Juan River and encompasses all of the town of Pagosa Springs and most of Archuleta County. The District has transitioned over the last fifty years to a tourism-based economy with many of our visitors enjoying river recreation including fishing, rafting, tubing, and San Juan Forest-oriented activities like hiking, mountain biking, camping, and snow sports.
The conservancy of Colorado’s water continues to be a consideration of the Colorado legislature (https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb24-038) in the present day. The need for water storage is defined in the Colorado Water Plan (https://www.sjwcd.org/colorado-water-plan), which drives the decision-making of the SJWCD Board of Directors.
The primary focus of the SJWCD during its 36 years of existence has been managing water rights ceded to the District at its formation and exploring water storage options for the Upper San Juan River Basin. Nine Directors are judicially appointed and serve on a volunteer basis. SJWCD currently has no vacancies on its Board of Directors.
Notice of Regular Meeting, February 16
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors of the San Juan Water Conservancy District (SJWCD) is scheduled for Monday, February 16, 2026, at 4 PM (Mountain Standard Time).
The public in-person meeting will be at the SJWCD office at 4670 West Highway 160 Suite A2 Pagosa Springs, CO. The public meeting is also accessible on Zoom.
San Juan Water Conservancy District is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: SJWCD Regular Meeting
Time: Feb 16, 2026 04:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89920037439?pwd=S1Z1bo4ja8BoryFhQr50CjaCXTPmhb.1
Meeting ID: 899 2003 7439
Passcode: 342671
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,89920037439#,,,,*342671# US (Chicago)
Proposed Agenda for the Regular Meeting is as follows:
1. Call to Order
2. Revisions to Agenda and Approval of Agenda
3. Disclosures of Conflict of Interest
4. Public Comment (limit 3 minutes)
5. Consideration of Executive Session. Upon an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members present, the San Juan Water Conservancy District will go into executive session pursuant to section 24-6-402(4) of the Colorado Revised Statutes to receive advice from their attorney and discuss matters concerning the transfer or sale of real, personal or other property interest pursuant to section 24-6-402(4)(a) of the Colorado Revised Statutes, discussion of positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategy for negotiations, and instructing negotiators pursuant to section 24-6-402(4)(e), C.R.S., all regarding the potential sale of the Running Iron Ranch on the initiative of the Pagosa Area Water & Sanitation District and related litigation (Case No. 24CV30069 filed in Archuleta County District Court), settlement negotiations, mediation, and public statements.
6. Consideration of Actions Related to Litigation (Case No. 24CV30069 filed in Archuleta County District Court) and sale of Running Iron Ranch initiated by PAWSD.
7. Attorney’s Report
8. Treasurer’s Report
9. Update on SJWCD/RJH Submission to Bureau of Reclamation
10. Update on SJWCD Watershed Project Story Map, Monica Nigon, AmeriCorps/WSU
11. Updates from Directors
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SW Basin Roundtable
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Earth Day – Sunday, April 26
-
3-2-3 meeting – Feb 24 & 25 in Espanola
-
SWCD Annual Meeting – March 27 at Sky Ute
-
Other items of interest