Jasper Reservoir donated and protected
Jasper Reservoir protected by donation
Indian Peak’s Jasper Reservoir, located north of Eldora, will be permanently protected after a water-sharing deal facilitated by Colorado Water Trust, a nonprofit whose mission is to restore water to the state’s rivers.
The reservoir, which has been privately owned since the ’80s, was anonymously donated to the nonprofit Aug. 29, Colorado Water Trust announced in a press release. According to Boulder County property records, the reservoir and its water belong to Indian Peaks Holdings LLC, reportedly owned by the Walton Family.
The holding company also owns Caribou Ranch, a property near Nederland that was once home to the famed recording studio that hosted the likes of Elton John and the Beach Boys, currently up for sale with an asking price of $48.5 million.
After the donation, the Colorado Water Trust then sold the reservoir to Doug Tiefel “with a set of restrictive covenants that permanently protects public access to Jasper Reservoir and optimizes the environmental benefits of Jasper Reservoir water in the Boulder Creek system,” according to the press release.
The Tiefel Family was described in the release as long-time residents of Colorado “known for their unwavering commitment to environmental preservation.” The family lives in Lafayette and has an agricultural property, Colorado Water Trust Executive Directior Kate Ryan said.
Beginning in the fall, the new owners will release water from the reservoir into the Boulder Creek system, during a time when the streamflow typically drops. The water will be protected for 37 miles in streams through Indian Peaks Wilderness, Eldora, Nederland and all of Boulder Canyon, meaning it cannot be developed or diverted out of the streams for those 37 miles. The water can be reused for agricultural purposes downstream of the City of Boulder.
In recent years, the water has been leased by the City of Boulder and provided to local irrigators. Ryan said the Tiefel family could continue with a similar use or work with the City of Boulder again if they choose.
“In Colorado, a lot of water is taken out of agricultural production, and that threatens our communities and economies when it comes to growing food and using water for agriculture,” she said. “This helps that water stay in that use.”
