C150163 Feasibility Study

• Contract/PO #: C150163
• Contractor Name: New Cache La Poudre Irrigating Company
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 3
• County: Weld
• Bill Number: 04-1221
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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INTRODUCTION

The New Cache La Poudre Irrigating Company (NCLPIC) manages water in the
Greeley Number 2 Ditch to provide for its shareholders. The NCLPIC diverts
water directly from the Cache La Poudre River near Timnath, Colorado to feed
the ditch. The amount of water available at each location in the ditch depends on
river levels and runoff from rainstorms as well as demand from upstream users.
Consequently, the ditch level fluctuates throughout the irrigation season making it
difficult and inefficient to serve all of the users, particularly those near the end of
the system. In order to overcome fluctuations in the ditch, NCLPIC must run
more water than would otherwise be necessary to ensure that users at the end of
the system are not shorted. In addition, some users irrigate with water pumped
from groundwater supplies which depletes groundwater flows and impacts the
amount of water available in the river. In order to continue pumping, these users
must cover their depletions with groundwater augmentation. The Company is
also approximately 10,000 ac-ft short of their current annual demand due to
operational losses and the transfer of Colorado Big Thompson water out of the
system. The intent of the proposed project is to construct three reservoirs near
Barnesville, Colorado to equalize ditch flows, improve system efficiency,
augment groundwater supplies, and provide storage to meet excess demand.

PROJECT SPONSOR

General

The New Cache La Poudre Irrigating Company was incorporated as a Mutual
Ditch Company under the laws of the State of Colorado on February 21, 1898.
Currently, the NCLPIC manages 2500 shares of stock held by approximately 300
users. The NCLPIC sets annual assessments to be paid by its shareholders. It
has the authority to refuse water deliveries to shareholders who are delinquent in
paying assessments, and can sell delinquent shares to cover delinquent
assessments. The NCLPIC has the power of eminent domain and has the
authority to enter into contractual arrangements. It does not have the authority to
levy taxes and is not affected by the Tabor Amendment. The Articles of
Incorporation and By-laws for the NCLPIC are included in Appendix A.

Service Area

The NCLPIC currently provides irrigation water to service approximately 35,000
acres in Larimer and Weld counties. The service area is located immediately
north of the Cache La Poudre and South Platte rivers between Windsor,
Colorado and Barnesville, Colorado. Water is diverted from the Cache La
Poudre River by the New Cache Diversion Structure located near Timnath,
Colorado to feed the Greeley Canal NO.2. The canal system consists of
approximately 50 miles of ditch extending from the river to approximately 11
miles east of Highway 85. All of the water rights that feed the canal system are
owned and managed by the New Cache La Poudre Irrigating Company;

New Cache Feasibility Study

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