Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Colorado residents, Durango or Salida?

Take a look at Bayfield just east of Durango. Nice area.

I hope your pockets are deep because both places are very expensive to live in!

Ummm, if you want to check it out, call Jeff Titus, the District 30 Water and Well Commissioner at 970-739-6520. He told me that I could pump water from the Animas for personal use on this specific property without having water rights, but if I wanted to get water rights, I could do so and it would be automatic or nearly automatic. I try to do my homework before posting stuff online, 'cause there is already too much misinformation on the 'net without me adding to it.

Pump water from a river in Colorado without a water right???? Every river is over appropriated. Every downstream water right holder would file opposition to such an action.

Your water right would be junior to everyone before you and never in priority

Having lived in the mountains in Colorado for most of my life and having a business in water, Salida is definitely out. The Arkansas River is mostly owned by Kansas and if your dog drinks from the river, there is a water commissioner watching till your dog returns it to the river. Every time I used the bathroom, I flush twice just so Kansas gets their share.

Two great locations, but for different reasons.

So, you're worried about water issues because of global warming, but ol Jeff says go ahead and just pump water out if the river. Cause none of that water is spoken for by any of those people downstream.

Jeff also owns the local franchise for Keller Williams Real Estate.....

260,

Interesting dilemma and discussion at minimum. You sound healthy and active BUT things can change fast at your age going forward, too! I'd be thinking about things like snow removal, travel safety(ie. two lane roads in the winter, etc!), health care (as you've noted), and overall climate looking 10-15 years into the future which most of us overlook!

I'd consider along the western I70 corridor around Grand Junction or its outskirts depending on how "urban" vs "suburban" vs "rural" you want to be. Vineyards and orchards there (climate). Fishing, hunting, Colorado River, Amtrak east or west, close to SE Utah's Natl. Parks/Moab, close to Uncompaghre Plateau, Montrose/San Juans, local skiing on the "plateau" minutes east, I70 relatively easy/safe drive to Copper Mtn., St. Mary's Regional Hospital, Airport right there with easy connections through Denver... a retiree could do a lot worse in Colorado! I have not been through there in awhile but I would be shocked if the population in the valley is not 150,000-200,000.

Your "water" access comments about the Durango area really surprise me and I am suspect to say the least. Water has become the new "gold" out in the dry West. Rapid development and growth of a limited resource combined with recent droughts have brought this to the forefront and the fights with municipalities/ranchers/farmers/ and .gov are going on and will get worse! Add "corporations" and foreign governments to the list! I am not sure sometimes which will be threatened first... water rights/use/access or our firearms!

As an aside, if you relocate to Colo., you might have to divest yourself of your beloved Savages... despite Colorado's politics it is still Winchester country! They might compromise with a few Remingtons or customs!!!

Sounds like a "midwest" location closer to Colorado is out of a question? North Platte, etc. I sure love pheasants and whitetails, too! IMHO, as I have watched the West really change (other than scenery which is certainly a part of the equation) over the last 30+ years, I think the "non-urban" Midwest will be one of the last areas the Country where one can really still easily pursue a "traditional" American lifestyle (including outdoor activities like hunting and fishing) many have been accustomed to. Understandably, Alaskans and many in the SE will disagree... many factors to consider...

living in the area you better enjoy tourist. We are ass deep in them. They have completely destroyed our little towns and way of life. Add that to the fact Colorado politics have gone more liberal than California thanks to all the newcomers. If I had a choice, I would bail out of my home state.

Some of you guys could use a reading comprehension tutor.

He's only moving where his wife "allows" him to live...

He's worried about global warming and he's friggen 70 years old...

And he's just gonna pump whatever his water needs out of the animas within civilisation where you'd have to fill a water glass at night to get away with it. Based on one phone call in a place where if you think you understand CO water law you haven't read enough, and where 15 water lawyers will give you 22 legal opinions to answer your question.

This guy likely already has the pro wolf bumper sticker on his Subaru Outback. He's moving here to experience the utopia, just without the weed...

living in the area you better enjoy tourist. We are ass deep in them. They have completely destroyed our little towns and way of life. Add that to the fact Colorado politics have gone more liberal than California thanks to all the newcomers. If I had a choice, I would bail out of my home state.

I looked at retiring in Fruita-Palisade or Paonia or even Glenwood. My daughter is in Palisade now and I like visiting there. Gunnison was a favorite for years because of the fishing, and Meeker because of the hunting, fishing, and small town vibe.

What about Buena Vista?

Far worse. Buena Vista made Outdoor Magazines top place to visit a few years ago. Oh my god. Prior to that after 6pm you could shoot a shotgun down main street and not hit a car or person. At 8 pm I drove down Buena Vistas main street and could not find a parking place. Up to 15 people waiting to cross the street. This was not even tourist season. Houses now are going in excess of 1 million dollars. Oldtimers, I know there refuse to leave their houses. Going to the grocery stores is known as combat shopping.

Another good choice. You could just pump water straight out of the Arkansas. If you bought the right house.

Could you flush 3 times? Last year was pretty dry.

G23

You just described Moab to a Tee. 15 years ago when not in tourist season it was a nice town, but not anymore.

You might want to get that in writing...Is there a water right that runs with the property? Otherwise, no way in hell you can do that.

I'll ask the GF to confirm. she does water rights for private property owners on the West Slope. In and out of water court on the reg.

Otherwise, getting "water rights" is going to run you hundreds of thousands of dollars lmao.