The Colorado Water Conservation Board, which oversees water use across the state, has given the City of Aspen $186,356 to look into an alternative way to use water rights.
Aspen water officials are looking for partners on a system that would allow the city to temporarily use someone else’s agricultural water right.
Alternative Transfer Methods or ATMs allow some flexibility in using water rights. The City of Aspen would pay a water right holder to not use their rights during some dry years, and then would use that water either to increase flows to keep the Roaring Fork River healthy or for municipal purposes.
The city recently agreed to not use its water rights to build reservoirs on Castle and Maroon Creeks and is working with environmental groups to find alternative solutions to water concerns.
Aspen officials will use the state grant to look for partners and projects.