2002

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 2002
• Author: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
• Title: Final Environmental Impact Statement
• USFW Year: 1986.
• USFW - Doc Type: Grand Valley Unit, Stage Two, Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Project, Mesa County, Colorado.
• Copyright Material: NO

CHAPTER I PURPOSE AND NEED
•
The Orchard Mesa Pumping Plant uses hydraulic pumps to lift water to
two Orchard Mesa canals--Orchard Mesa Canal No. 1, which is 16.3 miles
long, and Orchard Mesa Canal No. 2, which is 17.3 miles long. These two
canals convey water to 163 privately owned and operated laterals on
Orchard Mesa, south of the Colorado River, and provide water to about
6,870 acres.
The Grand Valley Powerplant, with an installed capacity of 3,000
kilowatts (kW), was constructed by the Grand Valley Water Users Associa-
tion, with technical assistance from the Federal Government. Under con-
tract with the Grand Valley Water Users Association, funds were provided
by the Public Service Company of Colorado, which presently operates the
powerplant and markets the electricity.
Redlands Water and Power Company
Water used by the Redlands Water and Power Company is diverted into
the Redlands Power Canal from the Gunnison River about 2 miles south of
that river's confluence with the Colorado River. This water is conveyed
northwestward for about 2.5 miles to a small power and pumping plant.
Between the diversion point and the plant, water is delivered directly
to about 400 acres of land.
At the powerplant, with a capacity of 1,400 kW, electricity is gen-
erated primarily to pump water to canals and laterals serving 4,100 •
acres of land south of the Colorado River and west of Grand Junction.
Electricity generated beyond pumping needs is sold to the Public Service
Company of Colorado.
The power canal, the power and pumping plant, and the irrigation
service canals are owned and operated by the Redlands Water and Power
Company. The laterals are independently owned and operated.
Federal system
The Grand Valley Project works include a diversion dam and a canal
and lateral system. Water is diverted from the Colorado River into the
Government Highline Canal at the Grand Valley Diversion Dam, about 8
miles upstream from Palisade. On the north side of the Colorado River,
the canal extends westward for about 54 miles. About 4.6 miles below
the main diversion, water is diverted from the canal through a siphon
under the river to the Orchard Mesa Power Canal to provide the supply
for the Orchard Mesa Irrigation District and the Grand Valley Water Users
Association Powerplant. Near Palisade, water from the Government High-
line Canal is delivered to the privately owned and operated Price and
Stub Ditches.' The water that is delivered to the Price Ditch passes
through a hydraulic turbine that lifts water to the Stub Ditch.
From the Price-Stub Pumping Plant, the Government Highline Canal
continues westward for another 47 miles to serve 25,740 acres of land.
The canal and 74 laterals are federally owned and are operated as part
of the Grand Valley Project by the Grand Valley Water Users Association.
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