Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act
Officially: “Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act” Read the full text
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1Short title
This section would give the Act the short title "Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act."
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1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act .
2Conveyance of Federal land to Ouray, Colorado
This section would define "City" as the City of Ouray, Colorado, and "Secretary" as the Secretary of Agriculture acting through the Chief of the Forest Service. It would define "Federal land" as the Crystal Reservoir site in Ouray County, Colorado, including the reservoir's lake, Full Moon Dam and its facilities (including the spillway and outlet), Full Moon Ditch and Reservoir Number 10, and all infrastructure associated with the reservoir, plus an approximately 45-acre parcel underlying and surrounding Crystal Reservoir, shown on a Forest Service map titled "Crystal Reservoir Conveyance" dated June 23, 2025, that the Forest Service manages as necessary for access to repair, operate, and maintain the reservoir. As soon as practicable after enactment, the Secretary would have to convey to the City all of the United States' right, title, and interest in the Federal land, and all water rights associated with it, including the Full Moon Ditch and Reservoir Number 10 water rights described in the decree of the State of Colorado in Civil Action No. 1959, dated May 11, 1942. The conveyance would be made by quitclaim deed, would be subject to valid existing rights and to the reversionary interest described below, and would be completed at no cost to the City except for survey costs, which the City would pay; the Secretary would pay all other costs of the conveyance. As a condition of receiving the land, the City would have to agree to: grant the Secretary an easement for each trail and road existing on the date of conveyance that the Secretary determines originates at, terminates at, or crosses the Federal land; take over, starting on the date of conveyance, responsibility for the costs of all repairs, operations, and maintenance of Full Moon Dam and related infrastructure, including Full Moon Ditch and Reservoir Number 10; keep the Federal land as open space forever, open to the public for recreational activities including fishing and free of any recreational access fee; not develop, build on, or conduct commercial operations on the Federal land except as needed to operate and maintain Full Moon Dam, Crystal Reservoir, and related infrastructure; and not expand the historical footprint of Crystal Reservoir in a way that would flood, impair, or harm wetlands upstream of the Federal land, though deepening the reservoir consistent with the City's water rights would still be allowed. The conveyance would also be subject to any other terms and conditions the Secretary determines appropriate, and if the Federal land stops being used according to these terms and conditions, it would revert to the United States at the Secretary's discretion if the Secretary determines reversion serves the best interest of the United States. After the conveyance, the Secretary would have to let the structure near the Federal land known as Red Mountain Ditch, located near Red Mountain Pass, continue to be used by the City for all purposes decreed under Colorado water law, including diverting and delivering water for storage in Crystal Reservoir. The City could use Crystal Reservoir to store water and for in-reservoir uses consistent with its water rights, and to release water for augmentation and other beneficial uses consistent with its water rights, and the City would have to manage all water rights associated with the Federal land under Colorado water law. Nothing in this section would stop the City from spending money to repair Full Moon Dam or any other feature of the Federal land before the conveyance date, subject to the Secretary's approval. As soon as practicable after enactment, the Secretary would have to finalize the Map and a legal description of the Federal land to be conveyed; the Secretary and the City could jointly correct minor errors in the Map or legal description; and the finalized Map and legal description would have to be kept on file and available for public inspection at each appropriate Forest Service office.
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2. Conveyance of Federal land to Ouray, Colorado (a) Definitions In this section: (1) City The term City means the City of Ouray, Colorado. (2) Federal land The term Federal land means— (A) the site known as Crystal Reservoir in Ouray County, Colorado, including— (i) the lake associated with that reservoir; (ii) Full Moon Dam and associated facilities, including the spillway and outlet; (iii) Full Moon Ditch and Reservoir Number 10; and (iv) all infrastructure associated with the reservoir; and (B) the parcel comprising approximately 45 acres of land underlying and surrounding Crystal Reservoir, as depicted on the Map, managed by the Forest Service as necessary for access for repair, operation, and maintenance of Crystal Reservoir and the features described in clauses (i) through (iv) of subparagraph (A). (3) Map The term Map means the map prepared by the Forest Service entitled Crystal Reservoir Conveyance and dated June 23, 2025. (4) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service. (b) Conveyance As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall convey to the City— (1) all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the Federal land; and (2) all water rights associated with the Federal land, including the Full Moon Ditch and Reservoir Number 10 water rights described in the decree of the State of Colorado in Civil Action No. 1959, dated May 11, 1942. (c) Requirements The conveyance under subsection (b) shall be— (1) made by quitclaim deed; (2) subject to— (A) valid existing rights; and (B) the reversionary interest described in subsection (e)(3); and (3) except as provided in subsection (d)(2), completed at no cost to the City. (d) Costs (1) In general Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary shall pay all costs associated with the conveyance under subsection (b). (2) Survey The City shall pay all costs associated with any surveys conducted for the purpose of accomplishing the conveyance under subsection (b). (e) Terms and conditions (1) In general As a condition of the conveyance of the Federal land under subsection (b), the City shall agree— (A) to grant to the Secretary an easement for each trail and road in existence on the date of the conveyance that, as determined by the Secretary, originates at, terminates at, or traverses the Federal land; (B) effective beginning on the date of the conveyance, to assume responsibility for the costs of all repairs, operations, and maintenance of Full Moon Dam and related infrastructure, including Full Moon Ditch and Reservoir Number 10; (C) to maintain the Federal land in perpetuity as open space, to be held open— (i) for full public access for recreational activities, including fishing; and (ii) not subject to any fee for recreational access; (D) not to conduct on the Federal land any development, commercial operations, or construction, other than as needed for the operation and maintenance of Full Moon Dam, Crystal Reservoir, and related infrastructure, including Full Moon Ditch and Reservoir Number 10; and (E) not to expand the historical footprint of Crystal Reservoir in a manner that would flood, impair, or harm any wetlands located upstream of the Federal land, subject to the condition that deepening Crystal Reservoir in a manner consistent with the water rights of the City shall be allowed. (2) Other terms and conditions The conveyance under subsection (b) shall be subject to such other terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be appropriate. (3) Reversionary interest If the Federal land conveyed under subsection (b) ceases to be used in accordance with the terms and conditions under this subsection, the Federal land shall revert to the United States, at the discretion of the Secretary, if the Secretary determines that reversion is in the best interest of the United States. (f) Use of Red Mountain Ditch After the conveyance under subsection (b), the Secretary shall allow the structure located near the Federal land commonly known as Red Mountain Ditch , located near Red Mountain Pass, to continue to be used by the City for all decreed purposes under Colorado water law, including the diversion and delivery of water for storage in Crystal Reservoir. (g) Water rights (1) In general Subject to paragraph (2), the City may use Crystal Reservoir for— (A) storage of water and in-reservoir uses, consistent with any water rights; or (B) releases of water for augmentation and other beneficial uses, consistent with any water rights. (2) State water law The City shall manage all water rights associated with the Federal land in accordance with applicable water laws of the State of Colorado. (h) Rule of construction Nothing in this section prohibits the City from making any expenditure for repair of Full Moon Dam or any other feature of the Federal land before the date of the conveyance under subsection (b), subject to the approval of the Secretary. (i) Map and legal description (1) In general As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall finalize the Map and a legal description of the Federal land to be conveyed under subsection (b). (2) Corrections The Secretary and the City, by mutual agreement, may correct any minor errors in the Map or legal description under paragraph (1). (3) Map on file The Map and legal description under paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public inspection in each appropriate office of the Forest Service.
Where it is
In the House.