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Wanting to buy land in Colorado, Water rights concern...

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As topics says, I am thinking of buying land in CO to eventually build a house. I am looking at more remote areas from the non-major cities, like Fraser, Ridgway, Bayfield, etc. Want to be closer to a bigger city but still remote and in the mountains, sorta.

I see a few plots of land available with electricity and internet but no mention of water. I assume you have to dig for a well but I recently read you can't get well water rights unless you have >35 acres. Someone please learn me about buying new CO property as it relates to getting water. If you can't dig a well, how else can you get water to live? 

Much obliged.

Check this out.  It looks like it's pretty complicated in Colorado. The way I read it you can have a residential well on property less than 35 acres, but the water can only be used inside the house.  No lawn watering, garden irrigation, or livestock watering.

https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/natural-resources/private-wells-for-home-use-6-700/

How would they know if you use your private well for outdoor watering?

You also can’t capture rainwater.

There are probably water delivery services available to fill a cistern.

@troph weren't you looking to build in colorado?

I've been looking into similar areas for the past couple of years, specifically in the Ridgway/Telluride/Ouray area.  Water has never been an issue with any of the properties I have viewed or visited, some more than 35 acres, some less.  Some are on municipal water, some have wells, and there was one in Ouray that actually had its own spring, which was cool.

Why would you live on less than 35 acres? You want neighbors or something?

24 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

@troph weren't you looking to build in colorado?

I've been looking into similar areas for the past couple of years, specifically in the Ridgway/Telluride/Ouray area.  Water has never been an issue with any of the properties I have viewed or visited, some more than 35 acres, some less.  Some are on municipal water, some have wells, and there was one in Ouray that actually had its own spring, which was cool.

I’m all over the map. I’d love to buy a place up there in that area. I think I’m more focused on a mobile second home, one that floats on the water right now. That area is so beautiful though it’s very enticing.  I’m with you, 35-80 acres is what I think I could handle. 

1 hour ago, RPM said:

Why would you live on less than 35 acres? You want neighbors or something?

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15 minutes ago, futureman said:

personally I couldn’t handle less than 1,000 acres. 

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To the OP yeah Colorado water rights are tough. First in time even if down stream so you may not even have rights to the water running through your land, stuff life that. Definitely need to be really careful. Wells are allowed but they are restricted. Water is where you can really get bent over in CO so be really careful. If we kept pursuing it I would have had an agent and would have done due diligence with an attorney too just to double check. 

Edited by troph

As topics says, I am thinking of buying land in CO to eventually build a house. I am looking at more remote areas from the non-major cities, like Fraser, Ridgway, Bayfield, etc. Want to be closer to a bigger city but still remote and in the mountains, sorta.
I see a few plots of land available with electricity and internet but no mention of water. I assume you have to dig for a well but I recently read you can't get well water rights unless you have >35 acres. Someone please learn me about buying new CO property as it relates to getting water. If you can't dig a well, how else can you get water to live? 
Much obliged.
Fraser is full with its Surly quota of assholes (me). Maybe try Tabernash.

We are on 2.5 acres and we have a well. If you're not on city water, you dig a well.
How would they know if you use your private well for outdoor watering?

You also can’t capture rainwater.

There are probably water delivery services available to fill a cistern.
You can capture rainwater now.

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