2007 year granted
Water rights encumbered
Conger Property 59 acres
Blue’s Haven 36 acres
Brooks Property 37 acres
Southard/Panagini Property39 acres
Sharp Property37 acres
Conservation Values Protected
- Agricultural Open Space: These five properties, referred to as the Granby 5, continue to be in agricultural operation, as they have been used for cultivating hay and crops, and/or as livestock pasture for over a century. They were all once part of a larger ranch founded in the 1920s by the ancestors of the one of the original easement grantors.
- Scenic Open Space: The public can view these scenic properties from County Road 57, the Colorado River Headwaters National Scenic and Historic Byway (US Highway 40), the Wildlife Viewing Area at Windy Gap Reservoir, BLM land to the west, and the Amtrak National Rail Passenger Service (Union Pacific Railroad). The Granby 5 Easements are surrounded by open and scenic views of the Continental Divide, Indian Peaks Wilderness Area, and the Fraser River Valley.
- Wildlife Habitat: These conserved properties provide habitat for elk, mule deer, bobcat, red fox, coyote, snowshoe hare, and mountain lion. Being adjacent to the Windy Gap Reservoir and close to the confluence of the Fraser River and the Colorado River, the properties provide habitat for numerous waterfowl. The senior Fraser River water rights of the Granby 5 properties ensure water delivery to the Granby 5 properties, thus helping to protect water quality as well as fish and waterfowl habitat in the Fraser River upstream from the ditch that feeds the easements. A large percentage of this irrigation water returns to the Colorado River, downstream of the confluence, through overland flow and deep percolation, thus helping maintain water flow for fish and waterfowl habitat and water quality in the Colorado River.