FromThe Grand Junction Daily Sentinel (Dave Buchanan):
The board acquired 5.45 cubic feet per second of water in the Breem Ditch water right for instream-flow use in Washington Gulch and the Slate River, two highly visible, water-short streams north and east of Crested Butte. According to the board, irrigation demands often completely dry up Washington Gulch by the middle of July and significantly deplete flows in the Slate River. The acquisition will allow Washington Gulch to flow year-round, even during dry summers, and it will help fix flow shortages to the Slate River…
A portion of this latest acquisition was purchased using funds authorized in 2008 for instream flow water acquisitions while the Colorado Water Trust donated a portion of the water. The acquisition will protect water through Washington Gulch and about two miles of the Slate River below the confluence with Washington Gulch.
More CWCB coverage here.