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) Orchard Mesa Irrigation District (OMID). An irrigation district, part of
the Bureau of Reclamation's Grand Valley Project, which has 2 rights
totaling 460 cfs.

c) Grand Valley Water Users Association (GVWUA). A public corporation
which operates irrigation facilities owned by the Bureau of Reclamation.
It has 1 water right of 730 cfs.

d) Mesa County Irrigation District. An irrigation district which is supplied
water by the Grand Valley Project. It has a water right of 40 cfs.

e) Palisade Irrigation District. An irrigation district supplied water by the
Grand Valley Project. It has a water right of 80 cfs.

1) United States of America (Bureau of Reclamation). The Federal
government owns the power plant operated by Public Service Company.
This water right is 310-400 cfs in irrigation season and 800 cfs in non-
irrigation season.

The total amount of the water rights owned by the six entities are 2260 cfs,
and are collectively known as the "Cameo call". When the water flow in the
Colorado River at the Cameo gaging station reaches 2260 cfs, the senior water
rights holders in the Grand Valley can place a call on the river. Upstream
water users must then curtail their water usage.

When the water level drops below 2260 cfs, the senior water holders among
the 6 entities that comprise the Cameo call can legally place a call upon the
junior water rights in the Grand Valley. Figure IV-A shows the ranking of
the 8 major water rights and relative location of diversions. OMID holds the
3rd and 5th most senior water rights in the Cameo call. The fifth water right
is the most important, since it comprises 98% of OMID's total rights.
GVWUA owns the 6th water right in the sequence; however, they have an
agreement with OMID that they would share proportionately any shortage if
there was a call on those 2 rights.

Table IV -C shows water flows at which calls may be placed. To date, none
of the irrigation systems have been completely shut down by a call within the
Cameo call. The only water right that has been shut down in water-short
years is the 400 cfs which goes to the power plant. All of the major
irrigation systems have an informal agreement to proportionally share shortages
in the river flow. This situation occurred in 1977 when flows from July thru
September dropped as low as 1700 cfs.

Although the water right to the power plant has a slightly better water right
than the Grand Valley Irrigation Company, this water right is traditionally
curtailed fIrst since it is a non-irrigation use.

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