Ouray County leaders voted on Tuesday to hire a consultant to study issues with Crystal Reservoir.
The U.S. Forest Service, which owns the dam, has said it plans on starting a National Environmental Policy Act process to decide what to do with reservoir, after a crack was found in the dam and it was classified as a hazard.
Among those alternatives, the Forest Service has proposed the idea of draining the reservoir, to which both the city of Ouray and the county have expressed objections.
Consultant Lytle Water Solutions LLC will assess the hydrology of both Red Mountain Creek and Full Moon Gulch, review the Forest Service’s assessments and provide other guidance.
Armed with that information, the county can challenge the Forest Service during the NEPA process, which involves studying possible actions to deal with the reservoir and could take years.
Though the city of Ouray has its own water-right interests in Crystal Reservoir, it also has recreational and tourism significance for the county at large, County Attorney Leo Caselli said. Caselli said the city has asked for help with the NEPA process, but the county does not plan to enter into the water- rights portion of the dispute.
Ouray City Councilor Tamara Gulde encouraged commissioners to hire the consultant.
“I think … there’s some shared value here if we really look further, and I know that the city will appreciate any efforts that you do on your part to get objective opinions,” she said.
The Forest Service drew down the reservoir earlier this year after a dam inspection determined there was a crack, causing safety concerns. The agency has kept the water level low this summer, and a Forest Service representative told the county earlier this year it was considering draining the reservoir and restoring it to wetlands. It has set 2027 as a time frame for implementation.
Commissioners agreed to the contract with Lytle Water Solutions, capping expenditures at $13,765.
Lia Salvatierra is a journalist with Report for America, a service program that helps boost underserved areas with more reporting resources.
