PUB00101

• Year: 1994
• Title: Fort Lyon Canal Company Water Transfer Alternatives Study - Final Report
• CWCB Section: Finance
• Author: Gronning Engineering
• Description: Analysis of the alternative approaches to, and the results of the transfer of agricultural water supplies from the Ft. Lyon Canal Company to alternative uses
• Publications - Doc Type: Brochure

The Fort Lyon Canal Company as a part of the winter water storage program may also store its
water rights in Pueblo Reservoir, John Martin Reservoir or other off-stream storage facilities owned
by the winter storage program applicants.

Fort Lyon's storage in John Martin Reservoir is authorized under Section IIIB of the 1980 Operating
Plan for John Martin Reservoir. Ft. Lyon may store up to 20,000 acre feet of water in John Martin
for agricultural purposes under the Pueblo winter storage plan and may use water in this account
for exchange with existing priorities. In the event the water is not used by the end of each compact
year (October 31) the water becomes conservation storage which accrues to Colorado Water District
67 ditches or the State of Kansas (Arkansas River Compact Administration 1980).

As a result of its contract with Amity, Fort Lyon receives 5,483 acre feet of water from Queen
Reservoir. In recent years a portion of the Fort Lyon 5,483 acre feet has been delivered to the Ft.
Lyon Section III account in John Martin Reservoir where is has been used by exchange (Colorado
Division of Wildlife 1993).

The Ft. Lyon System also receives supplemental irrigation water supplies from the Fryingpan-
Arkansas (Fry-Ark) project operated by the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District. Ft.
Lyon Fry-Ark allocations are presented in Table 3.4.

Table 3.4 Fort Lyon Canal Company Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Allocations
(acre-feet)

1972-82
63,871

1983-87
o

1988
28,000

1989
45,600

1990
15,040

1991
22,560

Source: Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, 1991 Annual Report

3.4 Ooerations

As a mutual irrigation company, water is delivered in proportion to share ownership into 365
stockholder headgates distributed along the length of the canal. The canal company is divided
into five divisions and delivers water on a rotational basis. The five divisions of the company are
shown on Figure 3.1 and include the La Junta Division, which begins at the headgate and extends
to Gate 21D; the Horse Creek Division, which extends to Gate 77; the Las Animas Division,
which extends to Gate 149; the Limestone Division, which extends through Gate 2020; and the
Lamar Division, which extends through Gate 259 (Rules and Regulations, December 1983).

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