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r , "'" ~ t ~ ,~J '<: \ ~ ~~ , j . . GVWM Flow Protection Plan December 19, 1994 4:02pm DRAFT been improved through the salinity control program, the majority of the capital improvements necessary to implement this practice are in place. The GVWUA system includes approximately 25,000 acres of the 70,000 acres of irrigated land in the Grand Valley. This land is served by about 50 miles of canals and 160 miles of secondary laterals, ~.Jil .~>-completion of the Salinity Control Program 30 of the 50 miles of canal will be lined and nearly all of the laterals will be placed in pipe to reduce seepage. In comparison, one of the other major systems in the valley, the Grand Valley Irrigation Company system includes about 200 miles of canals and 210 miles of laterals serving roughly the same acreage. Recent improvements to major portions of the Grand Valley Project canal system through the Colorado River Salinity Control Program have successfully decreased the amount of seepage from the system. However, the improvements have not addressed canal system operation or water management. Modernization of facility operation was not included in the Salinity Control Program since these facilities do not provide a salinity control benefit. Consequently, the GVWUA is forced to continue historic operation patterns since salinity improvements have only replaced historic canal control facilities. Historv The most senior water rights serving the Grand Valley (both sides of the Colorado River from just above Palisade to near the Utah bor-der} have appropriations dating from the 1880's. Private citizens, mutual ditch companies, and irrigation districts constrocted a network of diversions, canals, and laterals to serve the area before the United States Reclamation Service built the Grand Valley Project (see Features Map), These early water rights, together with rights held by the United States for the Project, make up what is known as the "Cameo Call" on the Colorado River. rsemantiCS ,There reallY, never is a "Cameo Call" but rather one of the water rights in the Cameo group will place a call on the river, However, when speaking of the Cameo group it has become customary to refer to the group as the Cameo Call. This report will generally refer to , the collection of water rights serving the Grand Valley~. River call discussions will usually / be associated with an individual right. "-,. +l.... e~,--.o c~, I ~ Grand Vallev Diversions and the "Cameo Call" This 1" ,.... ,jeti"Rigroup~of water rights just below the USGS gaging station on the Colorado River near Cameo serves as a control on future water development upstream throughout the 3