{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://boebert.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-lauren-boebert-leads-effort-increase-water-storage-and-build-new", "Congresswoman Lauren Boebert Leads Effort to Increase Water Storage and Build New Reservoir", "2022-10-28", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "House", "CO", "Lauren Boebert", "B000825", "boebert.house.gov", "boebert", "https://boebert.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Congresswoman Lauren Boebert supported the Huerfano Water Conservancy District\u2019s effort to combat drought by enlarging the Maria-Stevens Reservoir, connecting three existing reservoirs, and building the Bruce Canyon Reservoir.\n\nCongresswoman Lauren Boebert stated, \u201cThe new Bruce Canyon Reservoir and other Cucharas Basin Storage Collaborative water projects will be transformational for our communities. These locally-driven solutions will add thousands of acre-feet of water storage.\u201d\n\nPresident of the Huerfano Water Conservancy District Scott D. King said, \u201cCongresswoman Boebert, I would like to thank you for your letter of support for our water project in Huerfano County. On behalf of our Board of Directors, we appreciate your taking time to support rural water. We look forward to reaching out to you in the future.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nOver the past seven years, multiple local agencies and organizations have worked together with the Huerfano County Water Conservancy District to help develop the Cucharas Basin Storage Collaborative. This Collaborative is working on building water projects that will help supply water to La Veta and benefit local agriculture.\n\nCongresswoman Lauren Boebert has been working hard on water issues for the District:\n\nSupporting 566 water projects that would provide new or improved ditches, pipelines, conveyance, and storage for Conejos, Alamosa, Rio Grande, and Mineral counties.\n\nAdvocating to defeat the misguided proposal put forth by the Denver suburbs to steal seven billion gallons of water per year in perpetuity from the San Luis Valley.\n\nIntroducing the Western Water Security Act to protect private water rights, defend against federal water grabs, and help ensure an abundant supply of clean water for future generations.\n\nFighting federal bureaucracy to get the San Luis Valley weather radar online to improve precipitation forecasting for local water districts.\n\nAggressively working to remove invasive salt cedar and Russian olive trees that are guzzling water and recently worked with Montezuma County to secure an important appropriations victory that passed the House and will allow for a pilot program to combat salt cedars. Salt cedars consume about 200 gallons of water per day per plant.\n\nDefending private water rights from Biden\u2019s attempt to reinstate the controversial Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.\n\nIntroducing the bipartisan House Companion to the Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act to protect private water rights and conserve the Dolores River.\n\nSecuring $10 million for the Indian Irrigation Fund to address the deferred maintenance backlog and increase water storage projects like the Southern Utes\u2019 Pine River Indian Irrigation Project.\n\nIntroducing H.R. 4302, comprehensive forestry legislation, that will improve forest health and improve water quality while also helping protect our watersheds and municipal water supplies.\n\nThe full text of Congresswoman Lauren Boebert\u2019s letter to State Conservationist Clint Evans supporting additional water storage is available here and below.\n\nDear Mr. Evans:\n\nI write in strong support of a local effort in Huerfano County to help preserve Colorado\u2019s water through increased storage capacity connected to the Upper Cucharas River. Over the past seven years, multiple local agencies and organizations have worked together with the Huerfano County Water Conservancy District to help develop the Cucharas Basin Storage Collaborative, which is a potential Public Law 566 project.\n\nThe goal of the collaborative is to increase water storage for the benefit of the underserved population in and near La Veta, which struggles annually with low levels of precipitation. The Cucharas Basin Storage Collaborative effort would enlarge the Maria-Stevens Reservoir, connect three smaller existing reservoirs, and add a proposed Bruce Canyon Reservoir for a total addition of 1,900 acre-feet of water storage. This water saving system would benefit local agriculture, provide for municipal, industrial and augmentation uses, and provide added benefits of fishing and flat-water boating.\n\nThe collaborative has achieved a Water Court Decree for the planned storage facilities and water exchanges, plus it has intergovernmental agreements in place for the project\u2019s implementation. Engineering work to determine feasibility and produce initial project design and cost estimates is also completed; and the next steps are planning and capital funding.\n\nAs Representative for Colorado\u2019s largest district, I place a high priority on preserving Colorado\u2019s water for the benefit of Colorado\u2019s citizens. I commend Huerfano County\u2019s citizens for their hard work and foresight in preparing the Cucharas Basin Storage Collaborative to this point, and I strongly encourage NRCS to give full consideration to this watershed program planning project in Hydrologic Unit Code #1102000604 \u2013 Upper Cucharas River.\n\nSincerely,\n\nLauren Boebert", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:20:33Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://boebert.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-lauren-boebert-leads-effort-increase-water-storage-and-build-new"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8194840047508478, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}