The Custer Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) recently discussed the legality of man-made ponds in the area with Greg Felt, General Manager of the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District (UAWCD). Their focus was on “illegal ponds” and the Colorado Division of Water Resources (DWR) review. DWR emphasizes that man-made ponds require legal water rights and can impact senior water rights users.
Felt explained that fire suppression ponds are critical and legislation now allows some ponds to be designated for this purpose. The BOCC supports applications to designate certain local ponds as fire suppression. Felt highlighted concerns about specific ponds, like Shauner Lake, while indicating that Rusk Pond meets criteria but may still have objections due to potential water rights injuries.
Chairman Bill Canda noted the importance of such ponds for agricultural needs and indicated a willingness to undergo adjudication. He also introduced several resolutions, including a no-hunting policy on county lands, to clarify management and protect wildlife.
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