PROJ01960 ‎(2)‎

• Contract/PO #: C150249
• Contractor Name: Black Dike Pipeline Company
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 0
• County: Montezuma
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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Black Dike Pipeline Company
Pipeline Project

Introduction

The Black Dike Pipeline Company (Company) manages the Black Dike Ditch (the Ditch) for the
benefit of the Members as an association of owners of water rights and lands serv'ed by the
Ditch. Irrigation water is diverted from the McElmo Creek, west of the Cortez in Montezuma County
Colorado, and carried in the Ditch to the 160 irrigated acre Member service area. The Ditch is
approximately 20,000 feet in length, serves 9 Members and carries a maximum flow of
approximately 8 cubic feet per second. The Company proposes to upgrade the Ditch by installing a
pipeline in the Ditch easement for a distance of approximately 20,000.

Project Sponsor

The Company is a non-profit corporation registered in the State of Colorado. There arEl nine
Members in the Company. The Company has the power to assess the Members for operations,
maintenance and administrative costs. The Members have entered into a Funding Agreement
with the Company for repayment of the loan that will be used to finance Project costs. All of the
Members'. irrigation water will be carried in the pipeline and the loan repayment will be shared
by the Members in proportion to the maximum adjudicated water flow in cubic feet per second
(cfs) to be carried on behalf of each Member. The Total of the Member's adjudicated water flow
rate is 7.75 cfs. The Company Articles of Incorporation, By-laws and Funding Agreement are
included in Appendix A.

Project Service Area and Facilities

Irrigated acreage within the service area is primarily used to grow hay, fruit and produce and
pasture for animals. A map of the Ditch and photos of the existing diversion and a map of the
service area are in the back pocket of this report.

Hydrology and Water Rights

The source of water for the Ditch is direct flow water rights out of the McElmo Creek. The water
diverted at the head gate totals 12.6 cfs. Records of the State Engineer's Office indicate that
total average annual diversions are 1003 acre-feet, for years 1970 through 2002, and that the
maximum diversion was 1684 in 1976. The maximum diversion rate was 10 cfs for the year
1987. A summary of water rights and the State Engineer Diversion records for 1970-2006 are
found in Appendix B.

Project Description and Alternatives

The Natural Resources Conservation Service of the US Department of Agriculture (NRCS) has
expanded the Salinity Control Area in Montezuma County to include McElmo Canyon. The
NRCS has approved a Salinity Control Project to place individual irrigation ditches in the

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