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To aid in the interstate matters between Colorado and Wyoming in the Wyoming v. <br />Colorado [353 U.S. 953 (1957)] Supreme Court Case, an agreement was established <br />between Water Supply and Storage Comp any and Windsor Reservoir and Canal <br />Company concerning the divers ions of Skyline Ditch and Laramie Poudre Tunnel. By <br />agreement, diversions of the Skyline Ditch and Laramie Poudre Tunnel are combined. <br />The combined diversions are allotted at 58 pe rcent to the Skyline Ditch and 42 percent to <br />the Tunnel. Therefore, by virtue of their so le ownership of Skyline Ditch and two-thirds <br />ownership in the Laramie Poudre Tunnel, Wa ter Supply and Storage receives 86 percent <br />of the combined diversions. Conversely, Windsor Reservoir and Canal Company own 14 <br />percent of the combined diversions of Skyline Ditch and Laramie Poudre Tunnel. <br />OPERATIONAL INFORMATION <br />Water Supply and Storage Company opens Skylin e Ditch each spring, as soon as it can be <br />reached through the snow, typically in late May or early June. Skyline Ditch normally <br />discharges for a portion of the spring and summ er months of May through August, depending on <br />the availability of snow melt. The peak discha rge occurs in June or early July and the flow <br />usually tapers off to zero by September. <br />The operating strategy for water transported through Skyline Ditch varies depending on <br />numerous variables including the demand for wate r by stockholders, the am ount of water in the <br />basin, and the weather. When space is availa ble in the Laramie Poudre Tunnel, Skyline Ditch <br />physically exchanges water for diversions throu gh the Tunnel. Water collected in the ditch <br />below the diversion point for the Laramie Poudre Tunnel is released to Chambers Lake. When <br />stockholders are irrigating, water may be released to meet the irrigating n eeds of the stockholders <br />or to satisfy minimum streamflow requirements. When water is not being released downstream, <br />it is stored at the highest elev ation reservoir possible. Divers ions through Skyline Ditch may be <br />turned off completely if there is excessive rain or water in the basin and the act of importing <br />additional water could increase th e possibility of flood conditions. <br />Where to find more information <br />Specifics relating to the data collection and f illing processes used in the determination of <br />the best source of data are presented in the SPDSS Task 4 Memorandum – Identify and <br />Fill/Resolve Conflicting R ecords for Key Transmountain Diversion Structures. <br />Additional information on ditch and reservoi r operations within Water District 3 is <br />presented in the Water District 3 Meeting Notes prepared for SPDSS Task 3 – Identify <br />Key Diversion Structures. <br />Additional information regarding the operatin g practices for Water Supply and Storage <br />Company is presented in the Water Supply and Storage Company Memorandum prepared <br />for the SPDSS Task 5 – Key Structures. <br />Skyline.doc 7 of 9 <br />