Federal legislation to transfer ownership of Crystal Reservoir to the city of Ouray cleared the U.S. Senate this week, sending the bill to the House of Representatives as the clock winds down for Congress to finish the deal.
After moving out of committee earlier this summer, senators passed the Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act by unanimous consent Wednesday. But the House will have just over three months – including a mere 20 days in session – to pass the bill before the 119th Congress draws to a close in January.
If the bill fails to clear the House in time, lawmakers would have to start from scratch and reintroduce the legislation next year.
Introduced over a year ago, the bill would hand over the mostly empty Crystal Reservoir below the summit of Red Mountain Pass to the city at no charge, in exchange for the city assuming the responsibility and cost of keeping up the dam at the reservoir’s north end.
The bill also requires the city to maintain the lake as a fee-free recreation area, prohibit future development and not expand its footprint and swallow upstream wetlands areas.
The legislation was the product of years of disputes – particularly over the city’s claim to water rights in the reservoir – between Ouray city officials and the U.S. Forest Service, which purchased much of the Ironton Park area in 2003.
Since at least 2020, the Forest Service has expressed an interest in offloading the reservoir, largely based on the potential liabilities of a dam failure. But city officials never responded to a series of inquiries from the Forest Service offering to transfer ownership, the Plaindealer previously reported.
Forest Service officials later decided to drain the reservoir in 2024 after an inspection documented a crack in the dam the year prior. The move prompted public outcry, and spurred the city to lobby U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet for legislation directing the conveyance.
If the legislation fails to advance, the option remains open for the city to purchase the property directly from the Forest Service.
City and county officials have since cited water rights, recreation opportunities and the lake’s potential use as a firefighting resource in their bid for the transfer.
In a statement this week, Bennet called the bill a “common-sense piece of legislation that will protect Ouray’s water supply and a beloved recreation asset for future generations.”
“This is a big win for Ouray, which deserves control over its own water resources,” added U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd, who introduced his own version of the conveyance bill last year, is expected to carry the bill in the House, according to Hickenlooper’s office.
Hurd – whose office couldn’t immediately be reached for comment – could push for a suspension of House rules for the bill, which would allow it to bypass a committee vote and expedite debate.
Chart Riggall is a Report for America journalist and corps member focused on covering environmental issues. His work also contributes to the Western Environmental Reporting Collaborative with High Country News and other news outlets across the West. Contact erin@ouraynews.com to make a tax-deductible donation to support his work here for the community.
