Stay Informed

Barn Pond Facts

Welcome to the official resource page for members of the Twin Lakes community interested in the future of Barn Pond. This page provides information on the official determination from the Colorado Division of Water Resources (CDWR), our state’s legal authority on water rights administration and enforcement.
Barn Pond Facts

Overview

On August 5, 2024, CDWR determined that Barn Pond is a man-made body of water, fed for decades by an illegal water diversion via the Twin Lakes Ditch. The man-made pond did not exist before 1990, and was filled over the years with automobile parts, tires, and scrap metal, as well as natural debris. The extent of environmental contamination is unknown and was not included in CDWR’s determination.
Read Full CDWR Report
Read Leadville Herald Article

Key Findings

Investigatory Findings

  • The Division of Water Resources is responsible for the administration, distribution and regulation of the waters of the State of Colorado.
  • The investigation found that the "Twin Lakes Ditch" was man-made, and follows contour lines and includes a 90-degree turn through a glacial moraine, indicating its artificial nature.
  • The man-made ditch illegally diverted water from West Bartlett Gulch.
  • The downstream dam of Barn Pond did not exist before 1990, and it was man-made with debris that includes tires, scrap metal, and autor parts -- all of which confirm human activity in its construction.

No Legal Water Rights

  • The Colorado Division of Water Resources (CDWR) confirmed that Barn Pond and the channel feeding it are man-made structures.
  • The "Twin Lakes Ditch" channel was determined to be a man-made diversion rather than a natural stream, with no decreed water rights.
  • The pond and ditch do not have legal water rights, and the illegal diversion of water from West Bartlett Gulch is now fully reversed and within its natural channel.
Read Denver Post Article
"The downstream face of the "Barn Pond" dam consisted of tires stacked in a pyramid formation filled with native grasses similar to flower pots as well as scrap metal including bed springs, sheet metal and vehicle parts. These additions indicate the pond was constructed by man and enhanced by beavers." CDWR Determination, page 15
Toxic Pond
Read Leadville Herald Article

Who’s Impacted?

  • The basin surrounding Twin Lakes is over-appropriated, meaning that all water is legally claimed by existing water rights holders.
  • Ultimately, downstream property owners – including hundreds of homeowners in the Arkansas River Basin and Lake County itself – were deprived of their lawful water rights for decades.

What’s Next?

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) owns the land that Barn Pond once sat on. Any discussions on restoring Barn Pond will first need to include the USFS.

Old tires can leach petrochemicals, rubber compounds, and heavy metals (including mercury and lead) into the soil. In particular, the potential environmental contamination associated with decades of garbage and debris within the pond will likely need to be investigated by the EPA or other regulatory body before any discussions on water augmentation can begin.