Who We Are
A Region Worth Fighting For
For decades, the Lower Arkansas Valley has been ground zero in Colorado’s ongoing battle over water. Since the 1950s, cities along the Front Range—particularly Colorado Springs and Aurora—have steadily purchased and transferred water from the Valley to fuel their unchecked urban growth. These large-scale exports have come at a steep cost: more than 30% of the region’s irrigated agriculture has been permanently lost.
Nearly 30 years ago, as the economic, environmental, and community impacts of these water transfers became impossible to ignore, concerned farmers and citizens began to organize. Their purpose—prevent the Lower Ark Valley from drying up. Their early efforts gained urgency during the historic 2002 drought, the worst in centuries, which pushed local communities to take decisive action.
That same year, with the help of Bob Rawlings, former Editor-in-Chief of the Pueblo Chieftain, voters across five counties rallied together to pass Referendum 4 with overwhelming support, creating the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District. Since its founding, the District has remained committed to keeping water—and the ownership of water—within the Lower Arkansas Valley, serving Pueblo, Crowley, Otero, Bent, and Prowers counties. Our goal remains clear: to safeguard the future of this region—its water, its agriculture, and its way of life—for generations to come.
Our Mission
To conserve, protect, and enhance the water resources of the Lower Arkansas Valley to sustain its agriculture, benefit its economy, keep water in its streams for fish and wildlife habitat, and participate in water-related projects that embody thoughtful conservation and beneficial water use within the Lower Arkansas Valley.
We Support Farmers and Our Rural Communities with a focus on:
Water Resource Protection
Water Quality Improvement
Irrigated Farmland Conservation
Advocacy and Outreach
Why It Matters
The Lower Arkansas Valley is a place worth knowing. And a place worth protecting.
It is a living, working landscape woven together by land, water, and people. Here in southeastern Colorado, the horizon stretches wide, the sunsets burn bright, and the roots of rural life run deep. This is a place defined by resilience. Families have lived, farmed, and ranched here for generations, shaping the land with their hands, built on a foundation of hard work, neighborliness, and grit. Others have arrived more recently, drawn by the peace of open skies and the strength of close-knit communities.
But what unites us all – whether our names are etched in century-old records or freshly painted on a mailbox – is our connection to this land and the water.
Meet Our People
We are guided by a 7-member board of directors, a talented staff, and an outside legal and engineering expert team.
Who We Serve
Since 2002, the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District has served Pueblo, Crowley, Bent, Otero, and Prowers counties.
