Hill Ranch
Gerry Knapp
Phone: (719)469-3597
Email: gerrylknapp@gmail.com
Paul Flack
Phone: (720) 470-1845
Email: paulflack@comcast.net
•Fall landowners meeting to discuss 2019 operations.
•Anticipated for the third week in October.
•Fall landowners meeting to present the final drafts of the Re vegetation Agreement and potentially a Release Agreement.
•Decision needs to be made shortly after the fall meeting.
•Develop Revegetation Plan for 2020 and following years.
Hill Ranch Website Update - March 2020
Now that the 2019 revegetation season is completed, it’s time to turn our attention to the 2020 season. This upcoming year will see several advancements in the revegetation process:
The Hill Ranch Revegetation Project is adding sprinklers and pumps to its irrigation practices. These sprinklers and pumps will operate during daylight hours from May-October. During night time hours, irrigation will be switched back to the flood irrigation that has been previously used on the ranch. This duel irrigation system will allow for about 100-150 acres to seeded and planted in 2020. The Project is also in the process of acquiring a significant increase in revegetation equipment: tractors, seed drill, herbicide sprayers, and a headquarter area for storage The Project’s labor force will increase to six seasonal employees and one full time employee It is anticipated that grass seeding will occur in early May, with irrigation of the seeded areas to follow. Weed control activities are anticipated to begin in early June and continue throughout the summer and fall. All fields will continue to be monitored for noxious weeds in coordination with Chaffee County staff.
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Plow boy at Hill Ranch
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Hill Ranch
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Metro District Board of Directors meeting with Chaffee County Commissioners and stakeholders
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View of the ranch with the Collegiate Peaks in the background
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Aerial view of Hill Ranch
Background on the Project
In 2001 Pueblo West Metropolitan District purchased the water rights to Hill Ranch in Chaffee County, Colorado. This purchase was filed in water court for a change of use of the water rights; case 01CW152.
In 2006, an agreement was reached between Chaffee County and Pueblo West settling several issues between the entities. These issues included detailing the revegetation obligation on the land, providing for a weed-free environment, and requiring the landowner to do the irrigation of the revegetation activities as per the covenants. On January 4, 2008, a decree for the change of use of water rights (case #01CM152) incorporated verbatim the requirements agreed to by the County and District in the 2006 Settlement Agreement. Since the 2006 agreement, several modifications have been made in the form of amendments:
2019 Revegetation Program
The goal of the 2019 Program is to focus on developing information using various revegetation methods and techniques on various plot locations to develop larger scale future planning for all remaining Hill Ranch fields.