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

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Chapter

3

Water Management Plan

Water ManaJlement Issues and Opportunities

Several methods were used to identify water management issues and opportunities. First, the steering
committee members provided valuable information from their day-to-day observations and experience.
Second, agency staff and large water users were interviewed to:collect information. Third, a survey was
mailed to water users to identify their concerns and lastly, the water budget was developed to analyze the
Fire Mountain Canal irrigation system. I .

Based on this information, several water management issues ,were identified and placed into general
categories:

1. Water Measurement and Accounting

. Deterioration and accuracy of water measuremert devices

. Annually reconciling water shares

. Matching crop water needs with diversions

2. Water Pricing

. Cost to deliver water to small users

3. Information and Education

. Poorly informed new water users (turn-on, turn-0ff dates, share equivalents, rules for use,
water rights, yearly water availability, how to irrigate, contact persons, existing policies,
easements, operating procedures)

. Poorly informed realtors

. Incomplete map of irrigation system

4. Organizational

. District playing a more active role

. Unclear responsibilities of each water user organization
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. Board representation '

. Getting quorum at annual meeting

5. Operating Procedures

. Weed control

. Control of water diverted at Fire Mountain Canal headgate during fluctuating flows

. Excess early water

. Implementing more efficient on-farm irrigation systems
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. Siphon maintenance

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