Del Norte System Improvements Applic

• Project Type: Ag/Muni Grant
• Applicant: Town of Del Norte
• Project Name: First Phase Water Improvements Project
• Title: Grant Application
• Date: 11/27/1996
• County: Rio Grande
• Water Conservation - Doc Type: Application

oj'"

;'l

I.
Il

i
11
I
I

Table 2
Summary of Water Rights

.
"
~.
~

Diversion Instantaneous Annual Volume Priority Date Court
Yield (g.p.m.) (acre feet) Case Number
Well # 1 600 967.8 May 1, 1951 W-432
(South Well) 300 483.9 June 3, 1957 W-432
Well #2 900 600 July 1, 1876* 80CW16
(North Well)
Pinos Creek WTP 224.4 (~ c.f.s.) 560** May 3, 1.876 659-33
224.4 (~ c.f.s.) May 31, 1873
Totals 2,248.8 2,611.7

* Per water right change decree including exchange of Del Norte Town Ditch priority No. 126.
** 10 year average when water right was used to maximum extent available.

It is useful to understand that water rights with earlier priority dates are more reliable in the sense
that they will not be curtailed or shut off by water administration officials during dry periods.
Water rights in Colorado are administrated in accordance with the doctrine of "priority of
appropriation." Using this doctrine, the first person to divert the water from a stream or
groundwater system and apply it to a beneficial use had the right to continue to divert water for
such use in preference to the right of any other person to use the water. Similarly, the person
who was the second to divert waters from the same stream and apply it to a beneficial use had a
right to continue to do so in preference to the rights of any other person other than the first water
user. Using this doctrine, it is easy recognized that the water rights with priority dates in the
1800's are more reliable that the rights with priority dates in the 1900's. One of the confusing
issues concerning water administration is the officials decision to not administer groundwater
rights at this time. This results in the south well, with a 1951 and 1957 water right, being very
reliable at the present time, but it is possible that administration of groundwater right together
with surface rights could occur at sometime in the future.

Water usage was summarized in Table 1 above. Following in Table 3 is a summary of
information from Table I rearranged with annual usage in acre feet shown.

7