Lower Ark District Board Passes Resolution Opposing New Annexations by Colorado Springs

The Board of Directors of the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District (Lower Ark District) has passed a resolution expressing strong opposition to any new annexations by the City of Colorado Springs that would exacerbate the city’s already existing 34,000 acre-feet water supply gap. The resolution, passed during the District’s regularly scheduled board meeting on February 19, underscores their grave concerns regarding the detrimental impacts of additional water demands by Colorado Springs on the Lower Arkansas Valley.

During testimony provided by Colorado Springs Utilities to the Colorado Springs City Council on January 14, 2025, it was stated that the City of Colorado Springs needs to acquire an additional 34,000 acre-feet of water per year to support full buildout of land already within its city limits and that any new annexations only will add to this water supply gap. Per the City’s 2017 Integrated Water Resources Plan, most of this additional 34,000 acre-feet of water supply per year is anticipated to come from agricultural transfers from Lower Arkansas Valley farms.

On January 28, Colorado Springs City Council approved the Karman Line Annexation by a 7-2 vote, which involves the annexation of nearly 1,900 acres of land 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 Karman Line development will add another almost 1,700 acre-feet of water per year to Colorado Springs’ water supply gap.

Additionally, with over 70,000 undeveloped lots within the city limits, the Lower Ark District questions whether new annexations are necessary and urges the city to consider the long-term consequences of these actions on the Lower Arkansas Valley.

The Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy therefore resolved the following:

1. The Board of Directors of the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District hereby state their opposition to any new annexations of land by the City of Colorado Springs that will add to their existing 34,000 acre-feet water supply gap.

2. The Board hereby urges the City of Colorado Springs to consider the consequences to the Lower Arkansas Valley’s economy, water quality, environment, culture, heritage, and way of life from additional water supply demands that the City will cause through any new annexations.