Protecting
Our Water
And Our Way of Life
Who We Are
Nearly 30 years ago, after experiencing the ongoing devastating economic, environmental, and community impacts caused by water exports by Front Range municipalities on our rural communities, the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District was formed to prevent it from drying up.
Our focus is to safeguard the region’s water resources to ensure thriving irrigated agriculture, vibrant rural communities, and a strong economy for both current and future generations.
Water is a Fundamental Building Block of a Healthy Community
When water, and water ownership, leaves our rural communities to fuel Front Range growth, our security, wealth, and future opportunities are lost forever.
Our Priorities
Water Resource Protection
Water Quality Improvement
Irrigated Farmland Conservation
Advocacy
Why It Matters
The Lower Arkansas Valley is a place worth knowing and a place worth protecting.
Agriculture is a powerhouse in Colorado, contributing $49 billion to the state’s economy—and the Lower Arkansas Valley is a vital part of that success. Prowers County ranks 6th and Otero County 11th in statewide agricultural output, a clear testament to the productivity and importance of this region, not only to the people who live here, but to all Coloradans.
We are known for our Pueblo chiles, Rocky Ford cantaloupes, top-quality hay, beef production, and much more. Yet today, nearly one-third of our fertile, irrigated lands lie dry and barren—their water long-since removed. These aren’t just empty acres—they represent lost communities, livelihoods, and heritage.
Lower Valley Water News
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