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News
By LIA SALVATIERRA on April 15, 2026
Ditch users, county at impasse about culvert

Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to more precisely reflect the condition of the culvert the ditch owners want replaced.

A group of ranchers from the West Arm Ditch Company is refusing Ouray County’s offer to reinstall a faulty culvert this year if the water users pay for the materials, saying they shouldn’t have to pay for county infrastructure.

“It’s you guys’ responsibility,” yelled Richard Weber II, before leaving the room at a county commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday.

The water users, including the Weber Ranch and Ferguson Family Ranches, previously approached commissioners and asked them to replace the culvert under County Road 23 immediately ahead of a low-water season.

Road and Bridge Superintendent Ty Barger said the culvert was installed after the previous culvert running under the road caved in. The culvert was installed at the current depth due to a pre-existing gas line under the culvert. That gas line no longer is located there, and the water users want the culvert installed deeper to make it function better. The water users argue they have routinely cleared out the culvert in order for water to flow to their ditches.

Barger said he tried to reach a compromise considering the replacement wasn’t in his budget this year. He asked the company to pay for the cost of the culvert itself, $7,400, less than a third of the total estimated project cost of $27,000. Otherwise, County Manager Antonio Mendez said the county could schedule the replacement on its own timeline in 2027.

At Tuesday’s commissioners’ meeting, representatives from the ditch company asked the county to reconsider and said they needed the fix now and didn’t want to set a precedent of having to pay for county infrastructure.

“I understand it’s a bad budget year for you guys, and it’s a horrible water year for us,” said Sarah Smedsrud, a representative from the ditch company and a member of the Weber Ranch family.

Smedsrud said the culvert also poses a risk, considering the previous culvert failed.

Commissioners Jake Niece and Michelle Nauer reiterated that there isn’t room in the budget for the county to purchase a replacement culvert this year, leaving the conversation at a stalemate.

“It’s not our responsibility to buy a culvert, the same as it’s not your responsibility to clean our ditch,” said Tyler Ferguson, another representative from the ditch company.

“It’s not a precedent that we’re not willing to set,” he said.

City takes plunge on hot springs repairs
Main, News...
City takes plunge on hot springs repairs
Council approves $286,568 contract to resurface, replace tiles in overlook pools in September
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
April 22, 2026
The city of Ouray will spend more than $280,000 to resurface the hottest soaking areas at the Ouray Hot Springs Pool this fall, a repair pool managers say is vital to maintaining one of the city’s mos...
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County backs down on road closure
Main
County backs down on road closure
Rather than block access to upper Yankee Boy Basin, commissioners focus on managing, restoring
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
April 22, 2026
Ouray County has decided against closing the upper section of Yankee Boy Basin road to motorized traffic, and will work with the U.S. Forest Service and volunteer groups to keep drivers on the main ro...
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News
County leaders campaign for merger
Commissioner claims benefits to combined fire, EMS; Log Hill Fire District concerned about structure, cost
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
April 22, 2026
Ouray County leaders last week campaigned for a combined countywide fire and emergency services authority at a Log Hill Mesa Fire Protection District meeting, while the district’s board of directors a...
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News
City keeps status quo on Via Ferrata operations — for now
Climbing course to open soon under new municipal management, as users seek changes to guide fees, weight restrictions
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
April 22, 2026
The Ouray Via Ferrata is scheduled to open May 1 under a new municipal management structure, even as city leaders and commercial guides debate whether to tweak key details like guide fees and weight r...
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News
Federal officer charged with assault over confrontation at Durango ICE protest
By By Chase Woodruff Colorado Newsline 
April 22, 2026
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer is facing charges of assault and criminal mischief in Colorado state court after an investigation into an October 2025 incident in Durango in which he seiz...
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Blue Lakes trail won’t require permit this year
News
Blue Lakes trail won’t require permit this year
No permits needed at Blue Lakes this year
By By Lia Salvatierra 
April 22, 2026
Hikers and campers won’t need a permit to hike the famed Blue Lakes trail until at least 2027, though there are other new rules for using the area this summer. The anticipated permit system was part o...
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News
Mine owners to address cleanup efforts at meeting
By LIA SALVATIERRA 
April 22, 2026
For the first time in eight years, the owner of the Idarado Mine is joining the Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership for a public update on its cleanup efforts in Ouray County. The “Local Water Quality &...
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News
4-H, fairgrounds to restart operations with new manager
April 22, 2026
Ouray County will restart events at the 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds on May 1, now that it has hired a new manager for the facility. Operations at the facility have been largely on hold since mid-...
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News
Dry winter sparks more interest in cloud seeding
State weather modification program manager: Technology could be critical to boosting water supply
By By Ryan Spencer Vail Daily 
April 22, 2026
Colorado’s weather modification program is seeing an increased interest in cloud-seeding technology after the record-low snowpack this past winter. In the past couple of weeks, Weather Modification Pr...
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News
Town seeks millions in federal money for sewer plant
By Plaindealer Staff 
April 22, 2026
Ridgway is asking for $2.25 million in congressionally directed spending to rebuild part of its sewer plant to comply with state standards. The funding request, approved during an April 8 meeting, is ...
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News
Man arrested at Ridgway restaurant
By Plaindealer Staff 
April 22, 2026
A Montrose man was arrested Tuesday afternoon in Ridgway after the Montrose Police Department asked the Ridgway Marshal’s Office for assistance in detaining him. Vicente Gonzales, 33, was arrested by ...
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