The Pagosa Daily Post is doing an entertaining series on the Dry Gulch Reservoir development. Thanks to Coyote Gulch for the links. Part One: http://www.pagosadailypost.com/news/9040/Lots_of_Water,_Lots_of_Debt,_Part_One/

Part Two: http://www.pagosadailypost.com/news/9049/Lots_of_Water,_Lots_of_Debt,_Part_Two/

Part Three: http://www.pagosadailypost.com/news/9064/Lots_of_Water,_Lots_of_Debt,_Part_Three/

Part Four: http://www.pagosadailypost.com/news/9086/Lots_of_Water,_Lots_of_Debt,_Part_Four/

Part Five: http://www.pagosadailypost.com/news/9103/Lots_of_Water,_Lots_of_Debt,_Part_Five/

A previous water rights application for Dry Gulch was approved in 2004, based on a 35,000 acre-foot reservoir — plus the right to refill the reservoir with up to 64,000 acre-feet of water pumped from the San Juan River.  That decree by Judge Greg Lyman — which curiously took place just as Archuleta County voters were turning down a ballot measure to fund Dry Gulch — was subsequently appealed to the Colorado Supreme Court by non-profit fishing organization Trout Unlimited.  The Supreme Court remanded the case back to Lyman for additional findings of fact, citing several key problems with Lyman’s original decree.