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• Board Meeting Date: 5/21/2008
• Description: IWMD Section - Presentation of Agricultural Water Conservation Paper
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Section 6
Site-Specific Opportunities and Limitations
win projects might be possible through water conservation improvements that
protect the yield of Uncompahgre water users and even result in an increase in a
dry year, even if diverting the same river headgate volume.
^ The Redlands Irrigation District calls f or and diverts significant quantities of water
for hydropower generation to pump water diverted f rom the Gunnison River to
irrigated acres on the Redlands. Conservation measures could potentially reduce
the amount of water required to be pumped, also reducing diversions for
hydropower generation. This in turn could result in more water available f or in-
basinwater users upstream.
Colorado
^ Grand Valley ditches hold senior rights in the basin and control the river at lower
flows. Due to inefficiencies in canal control structures, excess water is diverted and
then spilled back to the river downstream of the diversion. Below the diversion is
the 15 Mile Reach where there are endangered fishes. Improvements in the canal
structures or on f arm water conservation measures could result in leaving
additional water in the river, helping the endangered f fishes or making water
available f or diversion by upstream water users. Additional water made available
f or upstream users, however, would result in reduced f lows through the Colorado
basin down to the Grand Valley headgates
^ There have already been several successful improvements in canal control
structures in the Grand Valley area in the Government High Line canal, a Bureau of
Reclamation Project. This allows for reduced river diversions without impacting
deliveries to irrigators.
^ Several private ditch companies in the Grand Valley to date have not participated
in canal improvements. There are no downstream water rights below the
diversions, so no Colorado water rights would be injured by reducing return f lows.
Yampa/White/Green
^ Existing river headgate diversions and irrigation methods used by downstream
senior agricultural water rights can impact upstream rights by placing a call during
lower flows. Increased efficiency in diversion and irrigation methods could result
in a reduced need for river diversions, benefiting upstream diverters. However, the
current methods may result in providing flow for the Steamboat Springs junior
recreational in-channel diversion water right.
North Platte
^ The North Platte Equitable Apportionment Decree limits the amount of irrigated
acreage in Colorado. The basin is currently below that limit. There is the potential
to irrigate additional acreage or increase yield through water conservation
measures.
DRAFT 6-3