Laserfiche WebLink
ranching, nur ery trees, and to grow hay and forage crops. The hay crop is used as cattle and <br />horse feed, o is sold. <br />The Crystal F Jver Valley area, Pitkin County and Garfield County, is seeing rapid population growth <br />and developr ient. This growth puts demands on the water in the Crystal River and Roaring Fork <br />River for agri ulture irrigation, recreation, municipal and industrial uses. The East Mesa Water <br />Company has increased its number of shareholders of 6 in 1977 to 12 shareholders currently. <br />The area is gr atly influenced by recreation, tourism and increased population, creating major changes <br />in agriculture ses of the land and water. The water resources are having additional demands from <br />domestic use and industrial uses because of this growth. <br />Hydrology and Water Rights <br />Water for th East Mesa Water Company is supplied by a direct diversion from the Crystal River <br />delivered th ugh an open ditch to shareholders of the East Mesa Water Company. The diversion <br />from the riv is located 9 miles south of the intersection of highway 82 and 133 on the east side of <br />the River. <br />Total Water lRiahts are 41.8 CFS. <br />31.8 CFS direct flow irrigation right in the East Mesa Ditch on the Crystal River, decreed in Civil <br />Action No. 490, District Court, Garfield County, with an adjudication date of December 12, 1902, <br />and an app priation date of August 10, 1894. <br />10.0 CFS d ect flow irrigation, domestic and other beneficial use water right in the East Mesa Ditch <br />on the Crys al River, decreed in Civil Action No. 4033, District Court, Garfield County, with an <br />adjudicatioq date of October 24, 1952, and an appropriation date of May 1, 1942. <br />The Ditch i� usually turned on in the first two weeks of May and runs until about the middle of <br />October. <br />