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i� <br /> I' <br /> I' <br /> I, <br /> I� <br />The ditch company serves 148 users including the Town of Silt. The users are approximately <br />65% to 75% agricultural. The Grand River Ditch provides water to irrigate 2,200 acres of land. <br />Irrigated acreage within the service area is primarily used for Hobby Farms, nursery trees, cattle <br />ranching and to grow hay and forage crops. Hay crop is used as cattle and horse feed, or is <br />sold. <br />The area from Rifle, CO, through Silt, CO, and on to New Castle, CO, is seeing rapid population <br />growth and development. This growth puts demands on the water in the Colorado River for <br />agriculture irrigation, recreation, municipal and industrial uses. The Grand River Ditch has <br />increased in the number of share holders of 81 in 1976 to 148 share holders in 2010. In addition <br />to the increased pressure on the Ditch and its quantity of water, the River has seen increased <br />use by rafting, fishing, bird watching and hunting in over the last 20 years. These users of the <br />River waters are from throughout Colorado as well as other States. <br />Some shares of water are now owned by the Town of Silt and other industrial users. This <br />increases the importance of continued delivery of water to all users. <br />The area is greatly influenced by Oil and Gas development and related infrastructure, recreation <br />� and tourism, changes in agriculture uses of the land and increased population. The water resources <br />are having additional demands and uses put on them because of this growth. <br /> I� Hydrology and Water Rights <br />Grand River Ditch is also known as the Cactus Valley Ditch or Lower Cactus Valley Ditch. Water <br />� for the Grand River Ditch is supplied by a direct diversion from the Colorado River delivered <br />through an open ditch. Water Rights are for Ditch Number 82-A with Priority No. 142-B in Water <br />District 39. Water Rights are for 50 CFS and were initially granted in May of 1889. The Ditch is <br />' approximately 14 miles long. It starts about 3 miles west of New Castle, Colorado, on the north <br />side of the Colorado River and ends about a mile east of Rifle, Colorado. <br /> I, The Ditch is usually turned on between the first of May and the 15 of May and runs until about <br />the first of October. <br />' <br />' <br />� <br />� <br />, <br />' <br />