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San Luis Peoples Ditch Diversion Structure and Head Gate This photograph is taken looking downstream on Culebra Creek at the coocrele diverSion structure of the San l.uis Peoples Ditch. The head gate of the ditch is on the right side of the concrete diversion structure in this photograph. The ditch, whICh was constructed In the spOng of 1852. is the oldest continualty used ImgallOfl ditch in Colorado. It diverts waler from Culebra Creek near the town of San luis. The ditch was con- structed by settlers who came from New Mexico. The Walei' Court decree gave a water nghl ap- propriation date of Apnl 10. 1852. whIch was when digging began. This ditch was constructed six years before the firs! gold discover~s were made near Denver. Each farm under the ditch had equal shares of arable lands. pasture and wasteland, Irrigation facilitieS were cooperative enterprises The Spanish American canals Irrigated small plots of land and were narrow and short. Annu- ally, those who fived under the ditches eleded one of their ow-n to serve as the ditch superinten- dent to keep lt1e ditch in repair and 10 distribute the water equitably among the settlers , - "~ ."""".. . -- . .-" February 2005 . , ,... ",' """""" .. .. .. .. .. .. .. " .. .. .. " " '. " '. " . " a " .. .. .. " " .. . " Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 1 2 3 4 5 I 1 I I I -J I - -rot- Grr:Jtmdnog- Day 71 - , 111 6 81 91 12 J I I I I - - - , 171 18f--19 13 14 15 161 I 251 ValenrllJesDay J 20 21 22 23 26 I I 1 _~ _ PreSK1ent's Day I - r I - , , - 27 1 28 I 1 I I I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 , 1 . AppleQate GrouP. lnc,