So much of the county of Otero as is included in the following described boundaries shall be set apart and is hereby established, with the legal capacities and functions of other counties in this state, as a county, to be called the county of Crowley:
Beginning at the northwest corner of Otero county; running thence east along the north boundary line of said Otero county to the range line between ranges fifty-four and fifty-five, west of the sixth principal meridian, which range line is the west boundary line of Kiowa county; thence south along said range and county line to the fourth correction line south to a point at the southwest corner of said Kiowa county; thence west along said correction line to the range line between ranges fifty-four and fifty-five west, in township twenty-one south; thence south on said range line to the south line of said township twenty-one south, to a point at the southeast corner of section thirty-six, in said township twenty-one, range fifty-five west; thence west along the south line of said township to the range line between ranges fifty-five and fifty-six west; thence south along said range line, four miles, more or less, to the southwest corner of section twenty-four, township twenty-two, south, range fifty-six west; thence west along the south line of sections twenty-four, twenty-three, twenty-two, twenty-one, twenty and nineteen, in range fifty-six west; thence continuing west on the south line of sections twenty-four, twenty-three, twenty-two and twenty-one in said township twenty-two south, range fifty-seven west, to where said section line intersects the center of the Arkansas river; thence north and northwesterly with the center and meanderings of said river to the west boundary line of said Otero county; thence north along said boundary line to the fourth correction line south; thence east along said correction line to the range line between ranges fifty-nine and sixty, which range line is the west boundary line of said Otero county; thence north along said range line to the place of beginning.
Source: L. 11: p. 277, § 1. C.L. § 8573. CSA: C. 44, § 15. CRS 53: § 34-1-115. C.R.S. 1963: § 34-1-15.
ANNOTATION
The boundary between two counties, established by legislative act, could not be changed by an artificial changing of the course of the Arkansas river. Thomson v. Clarks, Inc., 162 Colo. 506, 427 P.2d 314 (1967).
When the Arkansas river channel was altered in 1935-36 it was not a slow and gradual change but a sudden change caused by mechanical or artificial means so as to constitute an avulsion rather than an accretion, and when such a sudden change occurs, there is no alteration in the boundary line; it remains at the location of the river immediately prior to the change. Thomson v. Clarks, Inc., 162 Colo. 506, 427 P.2d 314 (1967).