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Project Service Area and Facilities The Silt Water Conservancy District is located in west central Colorado near the towns of Rifle and Silt (combined area population of about 9,000). The District stores flows from Rifle Creek and pumps water from the Colorado River to increase the available irrigation water for 6,591 acres of land. For purposes of this plan, reference to the Silt Project will include these principle features: Rifle Gap Dam and Reservoir, Harvey Gap Dam and Reservoir, Grass Valley Canal, Davie Ditch, Silt Pumping Plant (pumping from the Colorado River), a lateral system and other associated features. Recreation facilities have been constructed at Rifle Gap Reservoir and some facilities are available at Harvey Gap Reservoir. Water measurement structures are used at these features to determine proper distribution of project water to the private lateral's. The District stores water in Rifle Gap Reservoir, formed by Rifle Gap Dam on Rifle Creek and in Harvey Gap Reservoir. Reservoir exchange releases are made from Rifle Creek to existing ditches to meet downstream irrigation needs. Harvey Gap Reservoir is filled through the Grass Valley Canal, which is diverted from East Rifle Creek near Rifle Falls. Flows from Harvey Gap are also measured through a Parshall flume and the data is manually recorded. Some project water is released directly from Rifle Gap Reservoir into Davie Ditch, to supply irrigation water to project lands on Davie Mesa. The majority of reservoir releases are made to meet downstream diversion rights of non-project lands. These releases allow additional diversions from East Rifle Creek upstream from Rifle Gap Reservoir for Project use. Delivered through the Grass Valley Canal, this exchange water provides a full irrigation supply for land that was not irrigated before the Project and a supplemental supply (supplements non-project water) to project lands previously irrigated with Harvey Gap Reservoir water and Grass Valley Canal diversions. Flow from East Rifle Creek is diverted into the Grass Valley Canal just below Rifle Falls. The canal, located on a steep sideslope, is over 6 miles long and was built to carry approximately 60 cubic feet per second (cfs). Due to landslides, ditch bank settlement, vegetation growth and seepage, it current capacity is somewhat less. It flows through two 48" diameter siphons that were last replaced sometime in the 1940's and three tunnels. Both the canal and the siphons leak or seep at different locations. Due to the canal's location on the steep hillside, the canal cannot be accessed in some places with a vehicle or machinery. 3