CSU Pueblo alumnus makes sure Pueblo has water now and in the future

*This story first appeared in CSU IMPACT(O) is an interactive exhibit in the CSU Spur Terra building sharing bi-lingual stories about CSU System changemakers.

Like most people, Seth Clayton didn’t give much thought to how the water he used every day arrived at its destination.  

“You turn on the faucet and expect water to come out – simple as that,” he said. 

Clayton’s thought process changed 20 years ago when the CSU Pueblo graduate and longtime resident of the city went to work as a budget specialist for Pueblo Water, which has been providing the city’s water for nearly 150 years. Clayton, who majored in accounting at CSUP, is now Executive Director of Pueblo Water and a full-on water enthusiast committed to bringing Pueblo the water it needs to sustain its people and industries.

“It’s a really fascinating field, and I’ve really enjoyed learning more about it,” he said. “Water in the West is particularly intriguing, with so many interests competing for limited resources. The distinct thing I’ve learned is that it takes a lot of partnerships to get the water that’s necessary to meet the needs of the city and the agricultural community in Pueblo County.”

Clayton said Pueblo gets two-thirds of its water from the Arkansas River, which runs through the city, and the other third from the Colorado River. The city owns several trans-mountain diversion projects, including the Ewing Ditch, the state’s oldest trans-mountain diversion system.

“We definitely face challenges with drought and monsoon cycles, but Pueblo has very senior water rights in the region, and we have a robust supply of water to serve our current and future needs,” he said. “We are able to navigate challenges better than many communities in Colorado.” 

Among his many achievements with Pueblo Water is the new Waterworks Park on the Arkansas River. The project, approved in 2018, includes the removal of a diversion dam which will allow for improved water flow from the dam site to Runyon Reservoir. Fish migration will be easier, and recreational opportunities will be expanded. 

Clayton said another huge project – a pipeline to take water east to Lamar and beyond – is in the works but many years away from completion.