PROJC02409 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Deuel and Snyder Improvement Company Agenda Item 14a March 10, 2009 (UPDATED March 18, 2009) Page 2 of 5 river. This diversion is used by the Company and its neighbor, the Upper Platte and Beaver Canal Company. The Upper Platte and Beaver Canal Company diverts water from the south side of the river and just slightly downstream from the Deuel and Snyder diversion. The Upper Platte and Beaver Canal Company's diversion rate (200 cfs) is much greater than Deuel and Snyder's rates (21 cfs and 63 cfs). The diversion is a large concrete rollover wall with a series of slide gates for river control. The slide gates on the south side of the river are controlled by the Upper Platte and Beaver Canal Company. The Deuel and Snyder Improvement Company operates a sand gate located on the north side of the river diversion structure. The sand gate is a vent section through the concrete rollover wall which is boarded up when diversions are required by the Company or by the Upper Platte and Beaver Canal Company. Boards must be removed during the winter to allow excess sand (which builds up in front of the Company's diversion point) to wash down river. Due to the Company's small rate of diversion, the shallow nature of the diversion point, and the narrow channel, the sand buildup at this location must be washed down river during the winter or a sandbar could form that would prevent the Company from diverting altogether. Currently, in order to remove boards and open the gate, a Company employee must walk several yards along the crest of the rollover wall to reach the sand gate. There is not a walkway or handrail for safety. Depending upon the Upper Platte and Beaver Canal Company's operation, there can be water going over the crest of the diversion. Given this major safety concern, the Company has evaluated alternatives to both improve the safety conditions for its employees and more efficiently operate the gate. Loan Feasibility Study Brent Nation, P.E., Nation Engineering Services, LLC, prepared the Loan Feasibility Study titled "Feasibility of the Rehabilitation of the Deuel and Snyder Improvement Company River Sand Gate Structure, " dated February 2009. The study was prepared in accordance with the CWCB guidelines and includes preliminary engineering design and cost estimates. Deuel and Snyder Improvement Company The Company is a Colorado mutual ditch company and non-profit corporation. It was established in 1884 to construct and operate the Deuel and Snyder Canal for the benefit of its shareholders. There are 15 shareholders and 161 total shares. The shares are split into two categories based upon the two different types of water rights owned. One division of the Company is made up of 21 shares associated with the Company's Meadow Rights. The remaining 140 shares are associated with the Company's traditional irrigation water rights. The Company is controlled by a five-member Board of Directors. The Board has the ability to set assessments and take on debt as they deem necessary. Water Rights The shareholders of the Company have the ability to divert 21 cfs from the South Platte River under the Meadow Rights and 63 cfs under the traditional irrigation rights. The Meadow Rights are called such because they were originally developed to irrigate meadows for pasture grass and are only available in the spring and early summer (which was the only time of year the river was dependable