Castle Valley advisory group votes to recommend hiring water attorney to protect surplus rights

The Castle Valley Water Advisory Committee voted to recommend that the town council engage Culp & Kelly and Emily Lewis to advise on options to protect the town's unused or surplus water rights.

Committee member S4 moved the recommendation in public session: "I'll make a motion that the WACC ... recommend ... do a letter of engagement with Culp and Kelly ... to work with Emily Lewis on solutions protecting our unused or surplus water." The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Members said the primary goal is to retain ownership of surplus rights and to protect the valley's "flushing flows"—the volume of water the committee says is needed to preserve aquifer health—rather than prioritize short‑term revenue. Committee members asked Emily Lewis for more detailed materials and suggested the town prepare technical questions and data before a formal council engagement.

Why it matters: Castle Valley's leaders said protecting surplus rights and quantifying flushing flows could prevent future large developments from accessing the aquifer and help the town weigh options such as leases, pilot programs, or legal instruments that preserve groundwater functions. The committee asked staff to invite a representative of the Colorado River Authority and to consult the Division of Water Rights about technical standards before final council action.

Next steps: Sarah (S5) was asked to contact Cash at the Division of Water Rights to identify technical contacts; members also recommended scheduling a session with Mark Stilson (Colorado River Authority) and arranging a more formal briefing with Emily Lewis.

Article provenance: Topic introduced at SEG 1679; motion and vote recorded at SEG 1865–SEG 1910.