FLOOD10516

• County: Delta
• Basin: Gunnison
• Title: North Fork Water Conservancy District Water Management Plan
• Date: 7/1/2001
• Prepared For: Delta County
• Prepared By: Delta Soil Conservation District
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

... CHAPTE(=l2. WATER RESOURCE INVENTORY
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Fire Mountain Canal

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History and Changes of Water Rights

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In 1904, the first water right of 50 CFS was awarded to the FirJ Mountain Canal to irrigate 3,449 acres.
In 1914, a second water right of 44.5 CFS was obtained to irrigate an additional 1780 acres. In 1930,
additional water rights were decreed from several tributaries (lferrorCreek, Stephens Gulch, Roatcap
Creek, Runzel Creek, Love Gulch and Jay Creek) and the North Fork River to irrigate a total of 5721
acres. Total cumulative diversions from all tributaries were limited to 125 CFS.

Anticipating diversions from the Paonia Reservoir Project, water rights were decreed to the Fire
Mountain Canal in 1954. Water rights decreed during the 1954 adjudication included:

. 90 CFS for the Fire Mountain Canal enlargement and extension,

. 19 CFS conditional for power use in the Minnesota Syphon

. 25 CFS conditional for irrigation from waste water and seeps

. 16 CFS conditional for irrigation.

Case No.. 3503 stated there were 10,930 irrigated acres under the Fire Mountain Canal to be used by
the conditional and absolute water rights. This adjudication al:so recognized a cumulative 30 CFS for
domestic and stock uses during the non-irrigation season from the North Fork River and Terror Creek.
During the mid 1950s, the Fire Mountain Canal had a total of 309.5 CFS decreed absolute, 41.0 CFS
decreed conditional for irrigation, 30.0 CFS decreed for domestic and stock use during the non-
irrigation season, and 19.0 CFS decreed for power.

During and following the development of the Paonia Project, several changes were made to water
rights. On May 12, 1967, the NFWCD, FMCC, and LCWUA entered a supplemental operation and
water distribution contract with the USBOR. This involved a complete diversion of all decreed waters of
the LCWUA upstream of Fir e Mountain Canal and the replacement of LCWUA water downstream of
Fire Mountain Canal by project water. This resulted in water users below Fire Mountain Canal
exchanging their LCWUA stock for FMCC stock. The LCWUA stock held above Fire Mountain Canal
was then assessed to meet LCWUA's obligation to pay for the Paonia Project. Redlands Mesa Water
Users Association was formed to deliver Leroux Creek water upstream of Fire Mountain Canal through
the Stull ditch. LCWUA delivers Leroux Creek water upstream of FMC through the Highline ditch.

Several other changes were made to FMCC's water rights during the development of the Paonia
Project. The plan for the Minnesota Siphon was discarded. On December 12, 1962, the conditional
water right for 19.0 CFS for power use at the Minnesota Siphon was abandoned. On May 20, 1975,
the conditional water right for 25.0 CFS for irrigation from wastes and seeps was also abandoned. On
May 27, 1975, 1.0 CFS was transferred from Runzel Creek to. the BurnsDitch and on July 29, 1976,
the conditional 16.0 CFS for irrigation was made absolute. In: addition, on July 1, 1985, an additional
50.0 CFS was abandoned-15.0 CFS from Stephens Gulch,;5.0 CFS from Love Gulch, and 30 CFS
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from Jay Creek.

Current Water Rights

Table 2-2 provides a listing of current water rights associated with the Fire Mountain Canal. Currently,
water decreed to the Fire Mountain Canal includes the following:

. 208.0 CFS for irrigation from the North Fork River

. 70.0 CFS for irrigation from Terror Creek

. 40.0 CFS for irrigation from Roatcap Creek

. 30.0 CFS for domestic and stock use during the non-irrigation season diverted cumulative from
the North Fork and Terror Creek

2-3

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