Dollars Make the Difference for Ark Valley Conduit

Water Release Underway (photo from USACE)

Although the Arkansas Valley Conduit was first proposed by President John F. Kennedy in 1962, very little had taken place for the following 55 years or so until some serious funding was allocated for the water improvement project.

The 130 mile-long pipeline, running from Pueblo to Lamar and up to Eads, is estimated to be completed within the next ten years at a cost of around $600 million.  It wasn’t until 2020 that the Colorado Water Conservation project bill was passed by the state legislature, providing $100 million and another $60 million was provided in federal funding by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package.

Ground-breaking ceremonies were held April 28^th at the Boone Reach truckline of the conduit which was attended by various federal, state and local dignitaries.  The conduit, once completed, will allow 7,500 acre feet of water from the Pueblo Reservoir, to serve Prowers, Kiowa, Otero, Bent, Crowley and Pueblo counties.  Each of the communities is expected to be able to help with financial support for their own stretch of the conduit which will serve approximately 50,000 residents with potable water. Health concerns over the chemical and mineral content of the water was the driving force for the original project.