Blue Agate Ranch

Just an hour outside Denver sits a rare Front Range offering with tree-lined creek frontage, a large reservoir, ponds, and incredible habit for birds and wildlife. The Blue Agate Ranch adjoins the agricultural town of Agate just minutes from I-70. It is situated along two miles of East Bijou Creek that oxbows its way through the ranch with large cottonwood trees and wetland habitat. The wildlife ranges from mule and white deer populations to migratory birds that arrive annually on the property. In addition, the property attracts over 200 bird species and other game.

Improvements

The Blue Agate Ranch has a few existing improvements including an older shed with living quarters on the second level, corrals, and livestock handling facilities. The property has city water from the town of Agate, power, and the ability to connect to telephone and high-speed Internet.

The current operation uses solar panels for pumping water from one of the adjudicated alluvial ground wells for livestock watering, cross-fenced pastures, and a fully fenced perimeter.

Location

Blue Agate Ranch is in the eastern plains of Colorado, just a little West of the town of Agate and only an hour from Denver. The property is accessible off two well-maintained county roads and situated just off of I-70.

Views

Unencumbered views of the mountains along the Front Range.

Wildlife & Hunting

The rich water sources and grasses on the property provide a diverse ecosystem. Tall cottonwoods line the creek beds, native grasses, and wetlands. These different environments attract numerous species of wildlife including but not limited to elk, white-tail deer, mule deer, antelope, migrating waterfowl, and over 200 bird species.

The Blue Agate Ranch is more than an investment in agricultural potential, it is also home to multiple forms of recreation. The numerous populations of birds and big game that call Blue Agate Ranch their home make the property a prime candidate for upland bird, waterfowl, and big game hunters.

Fishing

In addition to hunting, investors can fish in the two stocked ponds on the property.

Agriculture

The property is home to numerous types of grass including Alfalfa, Brome, Millet, Buffalo Grass, Dry Mix: 5-seed Grass Crop, Timothy Grass and Sunflowers.
Historically, the property harvested wheat, millet, alfalfa, oats, clover, sunflowers, and sorghum.

The property is leased to an adjoining rancher for grazing. The carrying capacity of the ranch is about 100 head.

Water Rights

Blue Agate Ranch has sufficient water rights on the property for wildlife habitat, overall ecological conditions, some irrigation, and livestock water. The property has:

• ALLUVIAL GROUNDWATER RIGHTS:
  • Two ponds consisting of 2.8 acres.
  • Exempt well with solar panels used for watering livestock (1 acre-foot)
• AGATE RESERVOIR SURFACE STORAGE RIGHT:
  • 7,727 acre-feet of absolute storage and 1,135 acres for irrigation (NOTE estimated yield averages 605 ac-ft)
  • 70 acres have been used historically for irrigation
  • 1,065 acres with conditional rights to irrigate when water is available
• DENVER BASIN GROUNDWATER:
  • Limited solely to the Laramie Fox-Hills aquifer. No well but estimated 261 ac-ft/year available. The depth of the aquifer is estimated to be 325 to 375 feet deep.