It was seven years in the making when the Moser Project received a signed water court decree in April, marking the completion of one of our first projects. The Slate River Ranch in the Blue River Valley in Summit County, Colorado is owned and operated by Jeannette and Howard Moser. The ranch could be a postcard for Colorado. Lush green hay meadows and grazing cattle back up to the snow-capped peaks of the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area. In 2004, with the assistance of local water commissioner, Scott Hummer, and water engineers and water attorneys, the Mosers agreed to sell the water rights from a retired hay meadow to the Colorado Water Trust.
In a brief ceremony on June 7th, the team of people responsible for sheparding the project through the last seven years gathered to celebrate and to complete one final detail. Part of the purchase of the Moser water rights involved reselling the historical consumptive use to the Colorado River Water Conservation District (“CRWCD”). Thus, the ceremony included a handing over of the check to finalize the purchase of the historical consumptive use.
We are grateful for the time that was dedicated to the completion of the project and are excited that this first project is a true example of the multiple benefits that can be had from this collaborative effort.
Flows have been restored to Boulder Creek and the Blue River with some of the water rights.
The historical consumptive use was sold to the CRWCD to be remarketed to users downstream from Green Mountain Reservoir.
CWT is dedicating the proceeds from the sale to a newly established Water Protection Fund, an internal revolving loan fund which will allow CWT to respond quickly to promising water deals.