C153857 Feasibility Study

• Contract/PO #: C153857
• Contractor Name: Western Mutual Ditch Company
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 2
• County: Weld
• Bill Number: SPL
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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Western Mutual Diversion Repairs and Improvements
eWeB Feasibility Study
May 6, 1998 (Revised December 29, 1998)

Feasibility of Repairs
and Improvements at the
Western Mutual Ditch Company Diversion

Project Sponsor

The Western Mutual Ditch Company (the Ditch Company) is a Colorado Mutual Ditch Company
and a Non-profit Corporation. The By-Laws of the Ditch Company are included in Appendix A.

The Ditch Company's existing diversion facilities, built in approximately 1950, are located on the
South Platte River about 2 miles northwest of Platteville, Colorado. They consist of a check dam
across the south channel of the South Platte River, a weir and gate structure across the north
channel of the river, a headgate structure to divert water into the delivery ditch, two wasteways to
return excess water to the river and approximately 15,3 miles of ditch. Two photos showing the
check dam and the diversion dam are included in Appendix B. The ditch has a capacity of
approximately 100 cis with an ability to supply about 200 acre-feet of water per day during the
irrigation season,

The company also participates in an augmentation project with the Ground Water Management
Subdistrict of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District (Central) whereby water owned or
leased by Central is diverted into the ditch and allowed to recharge the groundwater. Central pays
$4.50 per acre-foot recharged at sites owned by the Ditch Company and $1.25 per acre-foot
recharged at sites not owned by the Ditch Company,

Project Service Area

According to the basis for dues paid to the Consolidated Ditches of District 2, the service area of the
Western Mutual Ditch Company includes approximately 7,280 acres of farmland in Weld county,
Irrigated crops consist of onions, corn, potatoes, sugar beets, alfalfa, trees, pinto beans, carrots,
grains, and pasture. 1998 crop production is valued at $7,010,980. A map of the service area and
a tabulation of 1998 crop production can be found in Appendix B.

Water Rights

The Western Mutual direct flow irrigation water rights (known in the water rights tabulations as the
Hewes Cook Ditch) date from 1866, 1871 and 1894 for a cumulative total of 185 cis, The
Company's water rights are listed in the following table,