The Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to transfer ownership of Crystal Reservoir and approximately 45 acres of surrounding land in Ouray, Colorado to the City of Ouray at no cost to the city. The transfer includes the reservoir itself, Full Moon Dam, associated water infrastructure, and all water rights connected to the property, allowing the city to manage these resources for water storage and other beneficial uses under Colorado water law. In exchange, the city must assume all future costs for repairs, operations, and maintenance of the dam and related facilities, maintain the land permanently as open space with free public recreational access, and prohibit commercial development or reservoir expansion that would harm upstream wetlands. The city must also grant easements to the federal government for existing trails and roads that cross the property, and any violation of these terms could result in the land reverting back to federal ownership at the secretary's discretion. The conveyance should occur as soon as practicable after the bill's enactment, with the city responsible only for survey costs.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.