SPDSS_Task5_KeyStructure_NorthPoudre

• Title: SPDSS Task 5 - Key Structure, North Poudre Irrigation Company
• Description: The North Poudre Irrigation Company has been identified as a key structure for the South Platte Decision Support System ‎(SPDSS)‎ consumptive use and surface water modeling efforts. The purpose of this Task 5 memorandum is to document physical, legal, and operational aspects of those key structures identified.
• Decision Support - Doc Type: Task Memorandum
• Date: 3/5/2005
• DSS Category: Surface Water
• DSS: South Platte
• Basin: South Platte
• Contract/PO #: C153954
• Grant Type: Non-Reimbursable
• Bill Number: SB01-157, HB02-1152, SB03-110, HB04-1221, SB05-084, HB06-1313, SB07-122
• Prepared By: Leonard Rice Engineering

Irrigated Crops: A 1987 study conducted by Colorado Water Resources and Power
Development Authority estimated that in 1970, total irrigated land under the NPIC
System, not including Fossil Creek Reservoir, was 34,000 acres (CWR&PDA, 1987).
There are a total of 28,109 acres irrigated under the NPIC System based on SPDSS draft
irrigated parcel mapping. Approximately 70 percent of the lands under the NPIC System
are currently flood irrigated; the remaining 30 percent of lands are sprinkler irrigated.
Alfalfa hay represents a maj ority of the irrigated area (approximately 40 percent).
Additional crops grown under the NPIC System include pasture grass, corn, beans,
vegetables, beats, and malt barley.
NPIC shareholders do not typically commingle other ditch share water on their lands.
HydroBase Data: The monthly data available in HydroBase over the 1950-2002 period of
record pertaining to the North Poudre Canal include the following:
Total River Diversions
Complete record over 1950-2002 (see Figure 3)
Historic diversion average of approximately 31,096 acre-feet per year
Average diversions through North Poudre Canal after 1975 (35,684 acre-feet) are
approximately 9,000 acre-feet per year more than average diversions between 1950 and
1975 (26,515 acre-feet per year). The increase in diversions through North Poudre Canal
is likely the result of Park Creek Reservoir coming on line in 197E Monthly historical
diversions through North Poudre Canal are shown on Figure 3.
14,000
12,000
10,000
w
u
8,000
0
.~
~ 6,000
A
~ 4,000
0
2,000
0
O M ~O O~ N ~ 00 ~--i 7 l~ O M ~O O~ N ~ 00 ~--i
~ ~ ~ ~ ~O ~O ~O l~ l~ l~ 00 00 00 00 O~ O~ O~ O
C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C
h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h
Date
Figure 3: North Poudre Canal Diversion Records
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