7750

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7750
• Author: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
• Title: Study of Alternative Water Supplies for Endangered Fishes in the "15-Mile Reach" of the Colorado River.
• USFW Year: 1992.
• USFW - Doc Type: \
• Copyright Material: NO

CHAPTER IV UTILIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL WATER RIGHTS
in the Grand Valley. The economic impact of this alternative on the local economy would be
a concern to Mesa County.
Costs
Agricultural land with irrigation water within the GVWUA's service area is currently selling
for $1,200 to $1, 500/acre. The value of land within the irrigation districts is generally
higher since it is in the more developed portion of the valley. Lands within the districts
which produce fruit sell for about $6,000 to 8,000/acre and land with alfalfa or small grains
sells for about $2,000/acre.
Recent sales of GVIC shares indicate a market value of $300/share. When the local
economy is more favorable, share prices have historically approached $900/share. There is
an average of 1.73 shares per irrigated acre within the GVIC service area.
Table 5 summarizes the cost/AF for the various irrigation systems in the Grand valley. This
table includes land acquisition costs for those systems where the water is tied to the land.
Table 5
Purchase of agricultural water rights in the Grand Valley
Consumptive Consumptive Land Water Annual Annual Annual
use per use per cost right cost of operation & cost/AF
acre share per cost per land and maintenance consumptive

Irrigation district high 30 N/A $8,000 N/A $701 $13 -$286
low 2,000 175 $13 75
Association high 30 N/A 1,500 N/A 131 15 59
low 1,200 105 15 48
Irrigation company high N/A 17 N/A $900 79 10 62
low 300 26 10 25
Based upon purchasing 5 percent of the irrigation rights in the Grand Valley yielding 8,000
AF, the total cost for the Recovery Program would be $3,450,000, with an equivalent annual
cost of $300,000 or $38/AF.
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