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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Water is diverted from the South Platte River southeast of the City of Greeley and is delivered on-demand to farms which produce primarily corn for grain, beets, pasture, hay, and vegetables2. In addition to the direct flow right for irrigation, many shareholders also use tributary ground water from wells to supplement crop needs during the early growing season, during peak periods of water demand, and during dry years. The predominant method of irrigation under the Union Ditch is flood irrigation, although sprinkler irrigation is increasing. The canal system is similar to others in the region, consisting entirely of earthen canals, check structures in the main canal, and radial type headgates at individual farms. Union is considering the construction of recharge ponds for purposes of augmenting tributary ground water that is pumped from the South Platte River by well owners. Secondary Water SUWllv Conce~ A secondary supply or dual system is basically a utility. Potable water is provided for indoor culinary uses and a secondary or "dual system" is provided for outdoor landscape irrigation. The basic concept behind a secondary supply system is to more effectively serve the needs of urban growth and agriculture simultaneously. Under these systems the canal company retains their expertise as the well established water provider; and the burdens associated with municipalities acquiring and managing water rights for residential water needs are alleviated. Under a typical urbanization scenario, water stocks in ditch companies are acquired by developers and turned over to municipal water providers as a means of satisfying the raw water turnover requirements for new development. The municipal water providers in turn provide treated water to the new development for both culinary and landscape uses. The process of turning over raw water in return for treated water for use on landscapes is inherently unproductive because the beneficial water use in the canal service area is removed and water is unnecessarily treated by the municipal water providers at an added cost. In highly urbanized canal service areas, it is very possible for the municipality to acquire the majority interest in these canal systems, and as such assume significant control and management in these systems. The process of municipal water providers replacing these long-established ditch companies as managers also appears to be counter productive because those with operational experience lose their role as decision-makers in the system. A secondary water supply system is a good water management strategy for canal companies in urbanizing areas because it has the potential to mutually benefit ditch companies in the form of modest revenue generation for canal improvements as well as the state, municipalities, and residential water users in the form of more strategic water use (Dual Systems Study, page 3). 2 In this canal system, on-demand means that water users make a call to the ditchrider for water 24 hours in advance of when they need it. Aqua Engineering, Inc. November 17,2004 Canal Modernization Study - 3-