Nutrient Farm proposed development sparks concern over Canyon Creek water usage

Julianna O’Clair/Post Independent
Editor’s note: This is the first story of a series about the proposed Nutrient Farm development. The second part will run in the Monday, Feb. 3 edition of the Post Independent.
A proposed combination biodynamic farm and agritourism operation is raising concerns among Canyon Creek residents about its potential impact on the local water supply.
Nutrient Farm, a biodynamic and organic farm, ranch and food processor, is seeking county approval for a rezoning request for a new planned unit development along Interstate 70 and south of the Colorado River in New Castle.
The development would revolve around a fully functional, operational biodynamic farm “while also inviting visitors to experience agricultural, residential and recreational and retail/commercial related activities,” or agritourism, according to the project narrative.
To provide water for the planned unit development, Nutrient Farm plans to draw water from Canyon Creek using an irrigation ditch that traverses the property.
Canyon Creek residents and water right holders are concerned that the proposed water usage could dry Canyon Creek, disrupt fish spawning and harm its riparian ecosystem.
A public hearing regarding the rezoning request is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29 at the County Administration Building, 108 Eighth St., Glenwood Springs.
What the Nutrient Farm planned unit development is
Currently operating on more than 3,000 acres of land southeast of the town of New Castle and south of the Colorado River, Nutrient Farm developments include a farm store, greenhouse, farm house and a recreational trail system.
Nutrient Farm is requesting that Garfield County rezone the existing Coal Ridge planned unit development area and the remaining unsubdivided portions of the Riverbend planned unit development area in New Castle to Nutrient Farm development zoning.
If fully developed, Nutrient Farm could encompass residential, working farms, solar/energy, recreational and commercial development.
Land use definitions with specific allowances that are unique to the Nutrient Farm development and supersede the Garfield County Land Use and Development Code include outdoor music and entertainment, health and wellness retreat and recording and production studio.
At this time, the Nutrient Farm planned unit development is only a rezoning request, not a preliminary subdivision plan. Additional permitting is required for each of the proposed development uses.
“Neither the timing nor the scope of all of the future potential uses for the property have been finalized at this time,” Nutrient Farm clarified in supplemental application information sent to the county in October.
The planned unit development narrative and a host of supporting documents, including “will serve” letters from Xcel Energy and Riverbend Water and Sewer, slope analysis, a reclamation plan and a soils and geohazards evaluation, can be found at https://www.garfield-county.com/county-documents/.
Nutrient Farm did not respond to the Post Independent’s request for comment.
How Nutrient Farm plans to supply water to the development
The acquisition of the Nutrient Farm property included ownership in the Vulcan Ditch, the Coal Ridge pump and pipeline and Coal Ridge Reservoir, as outlined in the planned unit development narrative, which was uploaded to the county website in 2023.
The Vulcan Ditch, which locals say has been inactive for decades, diverts water from Canyon Creek at a headgate around 1.5 miles north of the creek’s confluence with the Colorado River.

Nutrient Farm intends to use the Vulcan Ditch to supply water for all the development’s outdoor activities, as well as various potable uses, including agricultural crop and livestock watering, recreational ponds and landscaping, and commercial, professional and retail buildings.
“The farm plans to make necessary repairs to the Vulcan Ditch and to replace the siphon across the Colorado River with an overpass to carry the ditch over the River to the farm,” Nutrient Farm stated in the development narrative.

The farm plans to install a buried 24-inch and 18-inch fused pipeline in the Vulcan Ditch, which would be capable of delivering wintertime flow if needed, according to the supplemental application information.
To transport water through the Vulcan Ditch to Nutrient Farm, the pipeline must cross three Aspen Valley Land Trust conservation easements.
“(Nutrient Farm) has failed to directly engage (Aspen Valley Land Trust) as a conservation easement and property interest holder along Canyon Creek and has not yet started the required (Aspen Valley Land Trust) review and approval process necessary for the Canyon Creek portion of the proposed project,” Aspen Valley Land Trust stated in a November letter to Garfield County Community Development.
In addition to crossing conservation easements, the pipeline must also cross at least nine private properties without identified easements, U.S. Highway 6, Interstate 70, the Colorado River and railroad tracks. The pipeline may either cross over or bore under the Colorado River, as specified in the supplemental information.
Plans for construction and permitting of the project are still pending, according to Nutrient Farm.
Historically, Nutrient Farm has relied on water pumped from the Colorado River. However, for the new development, the farm intends to use the Vulcan Ditch and Canyon Creek as its primary water source for three reasons: Canyon Creek’s water quality is “superior” to that of the Colorado River, treating Colorado River water to meet potable water standards is “costly and energy intensive” and Canyon Creek water can be delivered via gravity.
While agricultural uses depend on 70% of Colorado River water, around 35 to 40 million people rely on the river for their municipal needs, according to the Bureau of Reclamation.
How this could impact Canyon Creek
Nutrient Farm holds water rights to 8.93 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water — around 5.7 million gallons per day — diverted from Canyon Creek, according to the proposed development plan.
Wright Water Engineers, Inc. evaluated Nutrient Farm’s Water Adequacy Report for Proposed Development and found that during dry years, little-to-no flow may be available for diversion at the headgate, according to historical monthly Canyon Creek flow rates.
The Colorado Department of Water Resources stated that Canyon Creek’s dry year supply might be sufficient to meet the maximum daily demand but may not meet peak hour demand, according to the supplemental information.
“Full use of the Nutrient Farms’ Vulcan Ditch water right at the current headgate location has the potential to dry up and create a connectivity gap in Canyon Creek,” the Middle Colorado Watershed Council stated in a quote included in the supplemental information.
In a November letter to Garfield County Community Development, Colorado Trout Unlimited expressed concern that during Canyon Creek’s low flow periods, Nutrient Farm’s Vulcan Ditch water right may hurt spawning brown trout and incubating eggs.
“The (Nutrient Farm) water right is unique in that it can be applied to many year-round consumptive uses,” the letter states. “If the water right, in full or in part, were diverted during these times, it would be devastating to spawning fish and their progeny.”
If Nutrient Farm’s diversion reduces Canyon Creek’s flow, other water right holders in the area would also be impacted, potentially escalating fire danger.
“If this water were all taken out of the creek and we went down to low flow, which would essentially dry up the creek, not only would we lose our fish passage and the health of the creek, but the water table could lower so far that the flora, the trees, the loss of the moisture in the soil would create even more of a tinderbox,” said Sonja Linman, spokesperson for the Friends of Canyon Creek coalition, a local group advocating for the protection of Canyon Creek.
Nutrient Farm asserts that it will not continuously utilize its full Vulcan Ditch water rights.
“While Nutrient Farm has the legal ability to divert the full 8.93 cfs at any given time, it will not be diverting that full rate at all times, and in fact cannot divert at a constant 8.93 cfs due to the decree limitations,” Nutrient Farm stated in the supplemental information. “The average diversions will be much lower as limited by decree terms and conditions,” listing an average yearly rate of around .86 cfs.
The Water Adequacy Report Nutrient Farm submitted with the development narrative states that peak diversions from April to October may reach 8.7 cfs.
“Our biggest concern is the irreversible destruction to the watershed that would occur by trying to open up a ditch that has been abandoned for decades, leaving us vulnerable to a damaged ecosystem and increasing threat of fire,” Linman said.
Although Nutrient Farm stated that “the Vulcan Ditch has historically provided irrigation water to the property from Canyon Creek and will continue to do so,” the Friends of Canyon Creek coalition argues that evidence suggests the Vulcan Ditch has not been used to supply water across the Colorado River for decades.
In a letter to the Garfield County Planning Commission, Colorado-based law firm JVAM stated that an inverted siphon used to deliver Nutrient Farm’s water across the Colorado River hasn’t worked since the early 2000s.
The law firm argues that the Vulcan Ditch’s history of non-use warrants a reduction in Nutrient Farm’s water rights.

“I just oppose the plans to reinstate the water flow along the Vulcan Ditch because it blew out over 20 years ago and for all intents and purposes has been abandoned,” Stephanie Pitt, Canyon Creek water rights owner, said. “The alternative diversion point in the Colorado River is how they have been exercising that water right and water records reflect that.”
“We are concerned about transparency regarding long term plans for the property,” Linman said. “Water is liquid and we are all connected.”

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