The Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act transfers Crystal Reservoir, Full Moon Dam, and roughly 45 surrounding acres of U.S. Forest Service land in Ouray County, Colorado to the City of Ouray — along with historic water rights dating to a 1942 state court decree. The federal government covers all transfer costs except surveying, which the city pays. In return, Ouray must permanently maintain the land as free, publicly accessible open space for recreation including fishing, and may not allow development or commercial operations on the site. The city also assumes all future maintenance, repair, and regulatory costs for the dam and reservoir infrastructure. If Ouray violates those conditions, the federal government retains the right to reclaim the land.
Congressional Summary
Crystal Reservoir Conveyance ActThis bill directs the Forest Service to convey specified property and water rights in Ouray County, Colorado, to the City of Ouray, Colorado, for use as open space for recreational activities (such as fishing) at no cost to the public.The property and water rights include the site known as Crystal Reservoir and the associated lake and infrastructure, Full Moon Dam and the associated facilities, and the approximately 45-acre parcel of land underlying and surrounding Crystal Reservoir.The conveyance must (1) convey fee simple title to the land; (2) be subject to existing valid rights and easements; and (3) be completed at no cost to the city, except for costs related to necessary surveys.The conveyance must also be subject to a reversionary interest whereby if the land is used in a manner that violates the conveyance, the land shall revert to the United States, subject to the discretion of the Forest Service. In addition to holding the land open to the public for recreational purposes, the city must assume responsibly for Full Moon Dam and must not conduct unneeded development or commercial operations, nor alter Crystal Reservoir in a manner that would harm wetlands located upstream, subject to certain conditions. After the completion of this conveyance, the Forest Service must recognize a perpetual easement for the site known as Red Mountain Ditch for use by the city for specified activities related to Crystal Reservoir.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Reported to House
- Action Date
- 2026-05-20
- Date Added
- 2026-05-30
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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