WSP13038

• File Number: 8220.124
• Description: CRSP - Callecito Reservoir ‎(Pine City)‎
• State: CO
• Date: 4/1/2002
• Author: WAP
• Title: Vallecito Dam - Article in Water Information Program Water Letter
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: News Article/Press Release

COl1lnwnly UJeo Water Terl1lJ

To the average person, listening to water people talk is like listening to a foreign language. And to further
complicate things, different water people use different terms for the same thing. Below is a partial list of
water terms and slang expressions commonly used by people dealing with water and water-related issues.

Foot, Second-foot, or Cubic-feet - Slang for "cubic feet
per second" or "cfs", a unit of measurement for the flow of
water. 1 cfs = 448.4 gallons per minute. Think of a cube
of water one foot on a side, moving past you in one second.

Inch - May mean different things; i.e., a percentage offoot
(cfs) or a depth in a measuring device or a width in a splitter
box. You should always ask for clarification.

Flow of Water vs Volume of Water - Water users
(especially those who receive water from Bureau of
Reclamation projects) are allocated a volume of water that
they may use in a given year. However, the managing
entity delivers the water as a flow rate over time.
Therefore, it is important for the water user to distinguish
between volume (usually expressed in acre-feet) and flow
(usually expressed in cubic feet per second). A ditch
flowing at 1 cfs continuously for one day (24 hours) would
deliver about 2 acre-feet during that time period. Be
aware, many" oldtimers" refer to the flow of water in terms
of "feet" (see above). When a ditch rider or water manager
tells you you're getting "two feet of water", have them
clarify whether they are talking about "flow" (cfs) or
"volume" (acre-feet).

Weir, Flume, Gage or Parshall- These are all names for
various types of water measuring devices. A staff gage with
a graduated scale is used to measure the depth of the water
(or head) passing over or through the weir or flume. Gage
height is usually expressed in feet and hundredths of a foot.
Based on the gage height reading, the flow can be
determined using tables with pre-calculated results based
on the dimensions of the flume or weir. A Parshall flume
is a specific type of flume developed and calibrated by
Ralph Parshall at Colorado State University early in the
20th century and has been used extensively. Parshall
flumes are an accepted and widely used measuring device.

Heading or Diversion - A diversion is a structure for
capturing or diverting the water before it is put to use.
Typical diversion structures include pumps, headgates,
ditches, pipelines, and dams, or some combination. A
diversion is generally required to establish a water right.

Turnout or Headgate - A structure that controls water
flow into irrigation canals and ditches, or onto a farmer's
field. In the West, a "headgate" can be thought of as the
"agricultural faucet" through which farmers receive water
from local water suppliers, ditch companies or districts.

On Call, Call, River Call - The exercise of a senior water
right holder of "calling" for his or her water rights,
3

requiring upstream junior water right holders to allow
water to flow to the senior right holder. Usually a written
document must be filed with the Division of Water
Resources stating that as of a certain date and time a water
right holder is not receiving all of the water they are
entitled to by decree and requesting that the Division
Engineer shut down (curtail) all upstream water rights
junior to them until their senior right is satisfied.

Share, Ditch share - Ditch shares represent a
proportionate share of the carrying capacity or water rights
of a ditch. A ditch share or assessment is also what an
individual pays a private ditch company to transport a
specified flow or volume of water from one place to
another. The amount of water per share is unique to each
ditch. (Example: 1 cfs = 80 shares)

A water right, on the other hand, is a court decreed right
to draw and consume or use water from a specific location
including ditches, and in a specific amount. Ownership of
a ditch share does not entitle an individual to draw (divert)
and use water directly from the stream or source, but
allows use of water delivered through a ditch system.
Drawing and using water directly from the stream is
instead governed by water rights.

Decree I Decreed water rights - The judgement of a
court, an official order or settlement; water rights
determined by a court decree.

Priority - (1) The concept that the person first using water
has a better right to it than those commencing their use
later. Priority is important when the quantity of available
water is insufficient to meet the needs of all those having a
right to use the water. The earliest, or most senior water
right is entitled to their water first. The court may assign
a priority number based on the appropriation date.
(2) The right of an earlier appropriator to divert from a
natural stream in preference to a later appropriator.
(3) The relative senority of a water right as determined by
its adjudication date, previous adjudication date, and
appropriation date.

Appropriate - (verb) To take the legal or physical actions
necessary to create a right to take water from a stream,
tributary or aquifer for application to beneficial use.

Appropriation - The right to take water from a stream,
tributary or aquifer for beneficial use at a specified rate of
flow, either for immediate use or to store for later use.
Usually evidenced by a water court decree. t