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Need for the Project <br />FMRIC is undertaking repairs to their headgate river diversion <br />structure to ensure that it can continue to divert water from the <br />South Platte River. The current facility has two major <br />components. They are the ditch intake and the river diversion <br />structure. The ditch intake is a concrete structure using three <br />steel radial gates for adjusting flows into the FMRIC canal. This <br />structure is in fair condition. This structure pulls water from <br />the bottom of the river flow along with large amounts of sand. <br />The river diversion, which uses a board system to divert flow <br />into the ditch, has suffered damage due to times of high flow in <br />the river. This structure has lost its effectiveness due to the <br />large amount of sand that has accumulated upstream from the <br />diversion. The current structure can not be operated in a manor <br />to reduce the sand upstream of the intake gates. The sand bar <br />causes excessive amount of sand to be drawn into the canal during <br />its operation. This problem will continue to occur unless the <br />river diversion is changed in some dramatic fashion. The existing <br />river diversion also has a problem with debris, mainly trees, <br />hanging up on the structure causing continual maintenance issues. <br />Alternatives Evaluated <br />A range of alternatives were considered including 1) don't build <br />the project, 2) perform dredging in the river channel to <br />eliminate the sand bar above the diversion, 3) replace portions <br />of the diversion structure with a new bladder gate system (6 foot <br />river gates), and 4) replace portions of the diversion structure <br />with a new bladder gate system (8 foot river gates). <br />An evaluation of the alternatives follows: <br />1. Don't build the project: <br />If this project were not pursued, FMRIC might eventually be <br />unable to fully divert water into the FMRIC canal. This <br />would be an annual loss of approximately 74,890 acre feet of <br />irrigation water. This event, if it occurred, could lead to <br />a major loss of crops under the FMRIC system. The per acre <br />value of farm ground in the FMRIC system could potentially <br />drop significantly. This alternative is not acceptable to <br />FMRIC. <br />Feasibility Study <br />FMRIC <br />Diversion Structure <br />July 2012 <br />