From The Fairplay Flume (Lynda James):
The closing on 10.05 acre feet of augmentation water from Lone Rock H2O took place June 19.
Purchasing the water was a collaborative effort between the Park County, Fairplay, the Headwater Authority of South Platte and the two water conservancy districts in the county.
The districts had an option to purchase the 10 acre feet from Lone Rock.
HASP will own and manage the augmentation water for the Beach…
Of the 10.05 acre feet, 9.618 acre feet were purchased to augment evaporative losses from the Fairplay Beach reservoir and remaining 0.435 acre foot was purchased by the county for $6,600.
The Beach parcel is owned by the Town of Fairplay, but the water in the reservoir is jointly owned by Fairplay, Park County and the Upper South Platte Water Conservancy District.
Several decades ago, the three entities joined together to build the reservoir for recreational purposes, and at that time, augmentation water was not required. Today it is required.
After Water Commissioner Graver Brown determined that 9.618 acre feet of augmentation were needed, the USPWCD asked the Center of Colorado Water Conservancy District if it would agree to using the Lone Rock option to purchase augmentation water for the Beach.
The Center agreed and then the USPWCD applied for a Land and Water Trust Fund grant to purchase the Lone Rock water. That grant was approved by the county.
The purchase price was $13,000 an acre foot.
The entire process has taken more than two years and June 15, the commissioners signed warranty deeds and several other documents related to the purchase.