The 413-acre Ain’t Lyon Ranch is located along Elkhead Creek, less than 2 miles downstream from Elkhead State Park. The Pitney family acquired the ranch in 1959. Jolene (Pitney) Lyon was born on the ranch which she now runs with her husband. The Lyons intend to permanently conserve the ranch through a perpetual conservation easement with the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT). A critical component of the conservation easement is to tie decreed Water Rights to the land to ensure future agricultural availability while leaving flexibility for instream flow leases. CCALT hopes to help Jolene protect her water rights by ensuring proper use and documentation. The irrigation infrastructure is in need of upgrading. Measuring flumes are needed on 2 ditches and a new pump and measuring device is needed for the main irrigation diversion. We hope to install a less labor intensive system for Jolene to manage.
Approved: May 2024
Basin Award: $9,000
State Award: $0
Application