WSP08835

• File Number: 8149.100
• Description: Miscellaneous Small Projects and Project Studies - NRCS-Ft Lyon Canal Co Limestone Graveyard Creeks
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 6/2/1993
• Author: Gronning Engineering
• Title: Ft Lyon Canal Company Water Transfer Alternatives Study Phase I Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

1972-82
63,871

1983-87
o

1988
28,000

!1989

45,600

1990
15,040

1991
22,560

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Table 3.4

Fort Lyon Canal Company
Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Allocations
(acre-feet) .

Source: Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy [listrict, 1991 Annual Report

Operations

As a mutual irrigation company, water is delivered in proportion to share ownership into 365
stockholder headgates distributed along the length of the canal. The canal company is divided into
five divisions and delivers water on a rotational basis. iThe five divisions of the company are shown
on Figure 3.1 and include the La Junta Division, whichi begins at the headgate and extends to Gate
21D; the Horse Creek Division, which extends to Gate 77; the Las Animas Division, which extends to
Gate 149; the Limestone Division, which extends through Gate 202D; and the Lamar Division, which
extends through Gate 259. (Rules and Regulations, December 1983)

The present ownership of Ft. Lyon shares and delivery of water by division and also by county is
shown below (Smith 1993):

Canal Division
La Junta Division
Horse Creek Division
Las Animas Division

Principal County
Otero County

Share Ownership and Deliverv
PercentaS!e

Lamar Division

Prowers County

2%
14%
23%
28%
33%

Limestone Division

Bent County
i
Bent County I
,
,
Bent County i

Of the 365 stockholder headgates, there are approximately 18 major headgates which serve multiple
users, some of which have been organized as lateral colnpanies. There is no distinction made by the
Ft. Lyon Canal Company in its prorated delivery of water to either individual stockholder headgates
or to lateral headgates. The company has no resp011sibility for shareholder delivery beyond the
channel of the Ft. Lyon canal. '

The canal company's standard practice is that deliveries of water to shareholders begin in the upstream
division of the canal. When delivery has been made to all laterals in a division, delivery is then shifted
to the next lower division. Once water has been delivElred to all divisions a run has been completed.

3.6