Historic farm pieced back together as open space

For more than a century Charlie Stromquist and his ancestors farmed 175 acres northeast of Niwot. Extended family had 405 acres adjacent to the north, which Boulder County bought years ago as agricultural open space. Now the two chunks of land are connected again under one owner after Boulder County Commissioners agreed to the purchase of the Stromquist-Laber property.

"It's got great water rights and soil productivity," said Commissioner Matt Jones. Commissioners Marta Lochamin and Claire Levy also approved the $1.6 million purchase, excited to say yes to such a large chunk of land during their first meeting as newly sworn in commissioners.

The property at 12323 Oxford Road is at the intersection of Oxford Road and 119th Street, east of Hwy. 287 and south of Longmont. Farming it as one 580-acre unit means it "could be the most productive farm the county has," according to Mel Stonebraker, senior land officer for Boulder County.

He said it will be more water efficient because ditches criss cross the once-divided properties, drawing from the same two sources - the Boulder and White Rock Ditch and Northern Colorado Water Conservancy water, also known as Big T water. The deal will give the county control over 242.75 shares of water. The Stromquist family will retain 12 shares of Big T water, which they are free to sell or use as they wish.

The water rights are a significant reason why the land was purchased, according to Stonebraker. He told the commissioners that if another buyer were to purchase the 175 acres and its water rights, it could be someone who wouldn't cooperate as well as the Stromquists have in making sure water is delivered to the adjacent county land.

The water rights also give the county flexibility to use some shares on other county-owned open space that may not have water or that may have more junior water rights.

Boulder County also will get the property's mineral rights. Six active oil and gas wells are on the land, under lease to extraction companies. Stonebraker said the length of those leases is complicated. It depends on how productive the wells are and other factors. "There is no reason to believe that pumping won't go on for years," he said, but added that the county's new oil and gas regulations will allow for reclaiming land around the wells.

As is the case with other agricultural open space properties, the land will be leased to a farmer, either the current owner or someone else. The county is interested in diversifying the crops from hay and alfalfa hay, possibly adding wheat, barley or corn.