VALLEY — Under the Division of Water Resources proposed groundwater rules, which were filed with the court in September of 2015, non-exempt wells in Division No. 3 will be required to either join a subdistrict, obtain an individual plan for augmentation or cease the non-exempt use of the well. It is very important for non-exempt well owners to understand their options under these proposed rules.

Over the past year and a half, the Rio Grande Water Conservation District has been gathering petitions from non-exempt well owners in the Alamosa-La Jara Response Area (also known as Subdistrict No. 6), which is located in parts of Alamosa, Conejos and Rio Grande Counties, who wanted to be included in the subdistrict. The Alamosa-La Jara Response Area petition drive is now nearing the end. The district’s staff is currently sending out letters to those non-exempt well owners who have not yet completed a petition to join the subdistrict to offer them the opportunity for inclusion. Any non-exempt well owner in the Alamosa-La Jara Response Area who has not received either a phone call or a letter from the district regarding their non-exempt well should contact the district’s office immediately to discuss their options.

The district is preparing to file the petition for the formation of Subdistrict No. 6 in the very near future.  Anyone wanting to be included in this subdistrict should contact the district before February 28th so staff can prepare the necessary petition(s) for signature.

To include a non-exempt well in this subdistrict, please contact the Rio Grande Water Conservation District at (719) 589-6301. More information on this subdistrict can also be obtained by visiting the District’s website at RGWCD.org.