Advocacy

Rapid growth along the Front Range has put increasing pressure on limited water resources in the Lower Arkansas Valley. As a response, the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District has long prioritized advocating for responsible and ethical transfers of water. The needs of one community should not threaten the livelihood of another.

Opposition to Karman Line Annexation

On January 28, the Colorado Springs City Council approved another annexation that will add 1,700 acre-feet of water demand per year to Colorado Springs’ existing 34,000 acre-feet per year water supply gap. Most of this water will come from the permanent dry-up of thousands of acres of vital farmland in the Lower Arkansas Valley. We, in the Lower Ark Valley, have seen firsthand the devastating effects permanent dry-up of farmland can have on our communities, environment, economy, culture, heritage, and way of life.

The Karman Line Annexation, approved by a 7-2 vote, involves the annexation of nearly 1,900 acres for the development of 6,500 homes and commercial space 3.5 miles away from Colorado Springs city limits in El Paso County. This type of annexation, known as a flagpole annexation, allows land that is not contiguous to the city to be added. The proposed development will include single-family homes with prices starting at $530,000.

Jack Goble, General Manager of Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District

For decades, cities along the Front Range, including Colorado Springs, have permanently removed water from farmland in the Lower Arkansas Valley. These water exports have had severe consequences, harming local economies and disrupting our statewide food system. To fully support the build-out of land already within Colorado Springs’ city limits, the city would need to permanently dry up 50,000 to 60,000 acres of farmland in the Lower Arkansas Valley. Any additional annexations, including the Karman Line project, would exacerbate this problem and require even more farmland to be sacrificed.

General Manager Goble stated, “ We want to thrive alongside our northern neighbors and not be sacrificed for their growth.”

During the City Council meeting, many Colorado Springs and El Paso County residents voiced their opposition to the annexation, citing concerns over water resources, environmental impacts, and public safety. Jack Goble, General Manager of the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District, joined by several farmers from the Lower Arkansas River Valley, spoke out against the annexation, urging the council to reject the proposal. They emphasized the negative impacts of municipal water exports on water quality in the Arkansas River, as well as the devastating effects of permanent dry-up of vital farmland on our valley and its threat to national food security.

“You (Colorado Springs) ran out of your moral water supply decades ago.” Dr. Mike Bartolo

Dr. Mike Bartolo, also testifying at the hearing, pointed out that Colorado Springs' current water-sharing projects have misled the public into believing the city has an abundant water supply and underscored the atrocities that were committed in the past.

The primary concern for the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District is that every new annexation by Colorado Springs will require a new water supply, which will inevitably result in the permanent dry-up of local farmland. According to Colorado Springs Utilities, the Karman Line development will need nearly 1,700 acre-feet of water annually. This equates to the permanent loss of approximately 3,000 acres of farmland. As irrigated farming is the backbone of our economy, any new annexation represents a direct blow to our agricultural foundation.

Karman Line Testimonies from Lower Ark Farmers and Jack Goble

Opposition to Development

Lower Ark District Advocates Against Colorado Springs Amara Development

During their regularly scheduled meeting on July 23, 2024, the Colorado Springs City Council was again considering a 3,200 acre proposed annexation for the Amara master-planned community by developer, La Plata Communities. The proposed development would include 9,500 new homes and over 2 million square feet of commercial and other space. The costly Amara development would require over 3,500 acre-feet of water annually, the equivalent of drying up another 5,000 to 6,000 acres of farmland in the Lower Arkansas Valley.

The Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District mobilized and took action to protect agriculture in the valley.

  • During the first public hearing in July, which took 7 ½ hours, the Colorado Springs City Council voted to approve the annexation. General Manager Jack Goble attended the meeting and testified during public comment about the District’s concerns regarding the Amara Development. He asked the City Council to consider the direct ramifications to their neighbors in the Lower Arkansas Valley. Goble later penned an op-ed in the Colorado Springs Gazette outlining the same concerns. 

    As part of the required procedures to authorize the annexation for the Amara Development, the Colorado Springs City Council held its second and final hearing on August 13. General Manager Goble was joined by Dr. Mike Bartolo, Ryan Hemphill, Matt Heimerich, and Dallas May, who all testified against the annexation on behalf of the Lower Arkansas Valley and its communities. During testimony, Dr. Bartolo stated, "Colorado Springs has already used their moral supply of water from the Lower Arkansas Valley.” Other testimony underscored similar concerns with the large volumes of water that Colorado Springs has historically exported from the Lower Valley and their unchecked future plans for water development in the region. They spoke to the detrimental effects on their communities’ economy, heritage, and way of life. 

    In a surprising turn, the annexation failed during the second reading with a 5 to 4 vote against the annexation by Colorado Springs City Council.  

    Here is a video that shows the testimonies of the Lower Ark Valley attendees at the second meeting. It also includes Colorado Springs Councilman Dave Donelson’s TV news interview the following day, noting the reason for switching his vote was primarily because of the testimonies provided by the Lower Ark Valley attendees.

    The Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District would like to thank those who testified for your continued commitment to our communities.