Gunnison - Paonia Feldman Diversion Reconstruction Project (Parts 1 & 2)_Water Activity Summary

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Water Supply Reserve Account – Grant and Loan Program Water Activity Summary Sheet Applicant: North Fork River Improvement Association Water Activity Name: Paonia-Feldman Diversion Reconstruction Project Water Activity Purpose: Part 1: Technical Assistance/Feasibility Study Part 2: Construction County: Delta Drainage Basin: North Fork Gunnison Water Source: North Fork Gunnison Amount Requested: Part 1 (Feasibility Study): $48,000 from Basin Account Part 2 (Construction): $62,700 from Statewide Account Matching Funds: Part 1 (Feasibility Study): $66,516 Part 2 (Construction): $9,800 Water Activity Summary: The project is being split into two parts; 1) Feasibility Study and 2) Construction. Part 1 of this application includes development of construction plans and specifications and the mobilization of construction materials at the project site. A preliminary site assessment has been completed and no funds are sought for that work. Part 2 deals with the construction phase. The completed project (Parts 1 and 2) is designed to create an efficient, low-maintenance permanent concrete head gate for two ditches and low-head rock weir at the diversion point of the ditches. This will deliver a full decree into the existing ditch supply systems while conserving water, improving use efficiencies, reducing the need for bulldozers in the channel, and decreasing suspended sediment. In addition, this will provide for fish migration and allow boaters to travel across the diversion; both of which are now prevented by the existing diversion structure. These objectives are also consistent with watershed management goals and needs assessments of the North Fork Water Conservancy District, the North Fork Gunnison Action Strategy (2000), and the Statewide Water Supply Initiative Findings and Key Recommendations. The Paonia and Feldman ditch diversions are located on the North Fork of the Gunnison River, adjacent to the Town of Paonia. The Feldman Ditch is situated on the western side of the river; the Paonia Ditch is situated on the eastern side. See attached maps. The diversions currently use a rock, gravel and debris structure created by bulldozing the river bed to divert water into the ditches. The Paonia Ditch does not have a control structure at the diversion point, but uses a metal culvert as the intake structure. When the irrigation season ends, poles are placed across the mouth of the culvert to stop flow into the ditch. The Feldman Ditch has no head gate; an unmeasured amount of water is diverted into the ditch and that in excess of their decree is dumped back to the river downstream of the diversion point. At the end of the irrigation season, the ditch is closed off by dumping soil into the mouth of the ditch 1