Working with Landowners

The proposed Wild Horse Reservoir Project would require an agreement for use of land owned by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the acquisition of property from private landowners.

Map overview of Wild Horse Reservoir project alternatives, showing options near Spinney Mountain Reservoir and south of Hartsel. More description of each alternative is explained in the rest of the Permitting webpage copy.

Map overview of Wild Horse Reservoir project alternatives. Click to enlarge.

As part of the federal government’s review of Aurora Water’s request to use BLM land, BLM will be analyzing the potential environmental and social impacts from the project at several alternative locations (see adjacent map).

Aurora Water is aware that not knowing the final location for the proposed Wild Horse Reservoir Project can cause uncertainty for landowners in the vicinity of the various alternative locations. If you have questions about the impact of the proposed Wild Horse Reservoir Project to your property, please contact us at WildHorseReservoir@AuroraGov.org and include your Park County Assessor parcel account number or address. To stay informed of the latest project updates, subscribe to our Wild Horse Reservoir Project eNewsletter.

With landowner permission, natural resource and cultural surveys were conducted on the proposed project site and alternatives in 2025 from late April through November. Some landowners were contacted to request permission to access private property for the surveys. This information is needed for the evaluation of the alternatives and will focus on areas that have not yet been assessed. These surveys did not damage property or involve any ground disturbance.

Some of the land that would be required to construct the proposed Wild Horse Reservoir Project has been acquired by Aurora Water. Aurora Water is continuing good faith outreach with other landowners and extending fair market value offers in an effort to acquire property that would be needed for the project. If you have any questions or concerns about your property, please contact us at WildHorseReservoir@AuroraGov.org and include your Park County Assessor parcel account number or address.

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