PROJ00223

• Contract/PO #: C153723
• Contractor Name: Orchard Mesa Irrigation District
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 0
• County: Mesa
• Bill Number: HB 95-1155
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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B.

BRIEF HISTORY OF OMID

1. Formation of District.

The original petition for formation of the OMID was presented to the Mesa
County Commissioners on January 6, 1904, The petition outlined the
purpose of the District and described its proposed boundary lines. The
original petition called for a district extending from the Beaver Tail Tunnel
in DeBeque Canyon to the confluence of the Gunnison and Colorado
Rivers, A vote for the formation of the OMID was held on February 17,
1904 with 16 votes cast; 14 were in favor of the District, 2 were blank,
and there were 0 no votes. A document filed July 11, 1907 described the
location of the diversions and the dimensions and carrying capacity of the
canals. These documents are in Appendix E.1. On February 19, 1908,
the OMID Board filed a document to amend the boundaries of land served
by OMID, The legal description in this document more closely follows the
present day boundaries of OMID,

2. ACqJlisition of Mutual Mesa Lateral Ditch,

The Mutual Mesa Lateral Ditch was acquired by OMID over a 2-year
period from 1907 to 1909, Documents related to acquisition of the Mutual
Mesa Lateral Ditch by OMID are provided in Appendix E.2, These
include: (1) a contract dated April 11, 1907 with Frank Lee and M. M,
Shores, the owners of a portion of the present Mutual Mesa Ditch, to
utilize that ditch for conveyance of water and to mutually maintain the ditch
with the previous owners. The District agreed to pay the ditch owners
$5,000 for this right. (2) The minutes of a 1907 Board meeting authorizing
purchase of the Mutual Mesa Ditch and the Lee Ditch, (3) A contract
dated June 8, 1909, for acquiring the ditches of the Mutual Mesa Irrigation
Co,; cost was $5,000 plus $30/share. Other related documents are also
included in Appendix E.2.

3. Construction of OMID Facilities,

Irrigated lands within the Grand Valley (including Orchard Mesa) were
originally served from the Colorado River through privately constructed
works, To serve Orchard Mesa, a canal was extended from about one-half
mile above the present Grand Valley Diversion to the present pumping site.
Distribution canals were constructed on Orchard Mesa and water was
pumped from the supply canals to the upper canals (as is presently the
case). The area now supplied by the Mutual Mesa Lateral was supplied by
separate pumping stations which pumped directly from the Colorado River.

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