PROJ00040

• Contract/PO #: C153446
• Contractor Name: Grand Mesa Water Conservancy District
• Contract Type: Grant
• Water District: 0
• County: Delta
• Bill Number: XB 99-999
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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A preliminary analysis of historical diversions to some of the larger ditches was
made in order to compare monthly average diversions with the decreed amount,
Historical diversions from April through October for a normal flow, high flow and
low flow year were used,

During a normal flow year, most of the diversion rights junior to a District 110 rank
of 700 could not divert any amount of water during the irrigation season.
Maximum diversions usually occurred during the months of May and June.

Conditional rights to divert water from Tongue Creek or its tributaries are mainly
located in the upper portion of the basin, The Grand Mesa Water Conservancy
District (GM WCD) presently holds six conditional diversion rights each with an
adjudication date of January 31, 19611, All of the GM WCD's conditional rights have
a district rank of 1,2911. The six conditional diversions are in the name of the
Gorsuch Feeder Ditch, The diversions are located on Dirty George, Ward, Kiser,
Youngs and Surface Creeks. The Gorsuch Feeder Ditch conditional rights have a
total decreed diversion rate of 1105 cfs which could eventually be used for
alternative plans which will be formulated in this study. The GMWCD also holds a
conditional storage right under the name of "Gorsuch Reservoir" to impound 25,000
acre-feet on Dry Creek,

The Overland Ditch conveys water from the Muddy Creek basin to the Leroux
Creek basin. It can receive water from Cow, Hubbard or Terror Creeks. Up to
150 cfs can be diverted from these creeks into Overland Ditch at each of 12
different headgates, but at any given time the total quantity being diverted cannot
exceed 150 cfs. A conditional right at each of the 12 headgates allows an
additional 75 cfs per head gate depending upon availability. From Leroux Creek, an
additional 105 cfs can be diverted into Overland Ditch under a decreed water right.

Part of the present study is an evaluation of what quantities of water, in excess of
water needed to meet in full all in-basin water rights, could be transferred by way
of Overland Ditch (and an extension of the existing ditch) to Tongue Creek basin,

To determine the quantities of water available for development (water historically
unused) in the Leroux Creek basin and the Overland Ditch watershed, it was not

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