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

... CHAPTER 1. BACKGROUND

Description of the North Fork Water ConservancY District

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The NFWCD was formed in 1941 as a Special District by a vote of property owners within its boundaries.
The primary purpose of the NFWCD is to act as an administrative and contracting agency for the Paonia
Water Development Project (Paonia Project). The Paonia Project, described further in the following
sections, was constructed as part of the Federal Colorado River Storage Project to provide full and
supplemental irrigation water to agricultural lands located in the North Fork of the Gunnison River Valley.

The NFWCD is located in west-central Colorado approximately 55 miles southeast from the City of Grand
Junction. Boundaries of the NFWCD are displayed on Map 1 (see map tube). The NFWCD extends north
into the West Muddy drainage, south to the Town of Hotchkiss, east to McClure Pass, and west to near the
Town of Orchard City. The NFWCD includes approximately 15,300 irrigated acres located in Delta and
Gunnison counties.

The North Fork Valley receives prevailing mild and arid winds that emanate from the desert-like plateau
region to the west. This mild wind results in an annual average precipitation of 15.37 inches (Table 1-1) and
an average frost-free period of 160 days a year. The beneficial climate and irrigation water supplies
produce valued agricultural products. Fruits, such as apples, peaches, cherries, and pears are grown in the
area, as well as forage for a substantial local cattle and dairy indl!stry.

TABLE 1-1
Average Monthly Precipitation at Paonia

Month Precipitation
(inches)
January 1.08
February 1.03
March 1.38
April 1.28
May 1.34
June . , 0.84 .
July 1.14
August 1.21
September 1.48
October 1.61
November 1.36
December 1.42
Average Annual 15.17

Source: NOAA 1991

As the population within the NFWCD increases, irrigated acres show a decreasing trend (Figure 1-2).
Unincorporated Delta County grew over 25 percent in the 1990s (Colorado Department of Local Affairs
2000); however, many new landowners are less inclined to invest in intensive agriculture due to declining
profits. This has resulted in fewer full-time farms in the North Fork Valley and the region continues to
experience accelerated agriculture land conversion to other uses. However, more efficient agricultural
techniques have kept overall agricultural production relatively constant.

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