By Ryan Spencer

The Summit County Commissioners have committed $1 million to support the Colorado River District’s effort to purchase and permanently protect the water rights associated with the Shoshone Hydroelectric Power Plant.

For decades, the Colorado River District has been in talks with Xcel Energy to buy the rights to water used for Xcel’s Shoshone Generating Station, a hydroelectric plant in Glenwood Canyon. Last winter, the river district reached a historic deal to purchase the water rights from the utility company for $99 million.

To date, more than half of that money has been raised. The vote Tuesday, Aug. 13, by the Summit County Commissioners moves the water district a step closer to closing on water rights important to communities up and down the Colorado River.