Boulder County Open Space water management

Boulder County Parks and Open Space (BCPOP) has an amazing portfolio of 107,861 acres of open space. Boulder County protects 67,419 acres of public land owned or leased and 40,442 acres of protected private land known as conservation easements. Conservation easements are recorded legal agreements between the county and a landowner which usually restrict residential or commercial development on the property.

There are currently 26,190 acres dedicated to agriculture. Boulder County's Agricultural Resource Division in 2023 partnered with 59 tenant farmers on 124 leases to manage public land. Gross revenue by rent type included $527,893 for crop share, $594,935 for cash rent, and $21,266 for grazing. Crop share produce included corn, barley, wheat, sugar beets, alfalfa, hay, and sorghum X.

Growing crops requires water, and BCPOP's Water Program Supervisor, Darren Beck, oversees this program. According to BCPOP 2012 Water Policy, the county's water portfolio was generally valued at $70 million and included ownership in 61 incorporated ditches, 31 unincorporated ditches, and at least 57 directly held water rights. According to Beck, the department is updating the 2012 Water Policy, which should be published by the end of 2025.

The Water Policy applies to properties that the County owns in fee but does not apply to water resources the County owns in association with its conservation easement holdings. For the County's water rights associated with those conservation easement properties, the County has entered into legal agreements requiring the private landowners of those conservation easement properties to employ those water resources for the benefit of those properties.

Beck, who majored in water resource engineering at Colorado State University, has been with the county for four years. He said, "What I love about this job is that there is always something new to learn and be involved in, and it touches everything. I could be involved in removing fuel hazards along ditch corridors, then pivot and become an expert on endangered species. There is nothing I don't like about the job."

One of Beck's challenges is that he holds a seat on numerous incorporated ditch company boards. He said, "Sometimes, I must approach a situation wearing multiple hats. I am a water employee with Boulder County, but then I sit on a board representing the ditch companies, who may have differing views from the county." He said that when differences arise, he typically tries to remain a board member and has other county staff approach the board with the county's differences. BCPOP has water staff on 29 incorporated ditch company board positions, with Beck sitting on 13.

Beck is excited about the future of BCPOP's water management program. The county is updating its Water Policy and database, which provides information to more efficiently manage the water portfolio between tenant farmers and quickly notify ditch companies. This ensures everyone has the water needed and uses it in beneficial ways according to Colorado water law.

He looks forward to new technology, such as flow meters, at minor and major head gates. Real-time data on water flow provides invaluable insights for quicker and better decision-making, accurate water accounting, and identifying areas for conservation. These improvements could lead to more sustainable and effective water management for the county.

Beck is excited about the recent hire for a position with the Wildfire Mitigation Tax, which Boulder County voters approved in November 2022. This new position will focus on mitigating future fires, such as the Marshall Fire, with an emphasis on agricultural practices. Various strategies will be considered, including innovative approaches such as adopting practices on agricultural lands to reduce fuel loads, investigating how soil health practices can impact vegetation flammability, and engaging with the farming community to promote fire-safe practices.

Each year in the Boulder County countryside, two lesser-known activities take place: agricultural burns and the clearing of debris from irrigation ditches. Farmers conduct burns to remove old vegetation and debris, enhancing water flow in their ditches. Around the same time, ditch riders-employees of ditch companies-clear irrigation ditches of debris, often including branches and tree trunks. Since ditch companies do not own the trees, they typically stack the debris in piles alongside the ditches.

In the aftermath of the Marshall Fire, the county has become concerned about accumulating slash piles over the decades, and is seeking strategies to mitigate this fuel buildup along the ditch corridors.

To help with outreach and education, the BCPOP is hosting a bus tour to demonstrate and describe how irrigation water is transported from natural streams to farms, helping people understand the water delivery process. The areas that will be visited include a reservoir, diversion head gates, operation, and irrigation principles in the West. The tour will happen sometime in May, will last a couple of hours, and all buses will have restrooms. The sites will be accessible to everyone. Watch for information on how to sign up.