PROJ00259

• Contract/PO #: C153424
• Contractor Name: Colorado River Water Conservation District
• Water District: 0
• Bill Number: XB 99-999
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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There are three significant transbasin diversions in the pro-
j ect area:

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Thompson Feeder - from upper north Thompson Creek to upper West
Divide Creek; average diversion 580 acre-feet/year.

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Clear Fork of the Muddy - from a tributary of the Gunnison
River to upper West DividE! Creek; average diversion 1,250
acre-feet/year.

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Owens Creek Ditch - from upper Owens Creek to Little Muddy
Gulch Creek which flows to the middle section of West Divide
Creek, average annual diversion 1,000 acre-feet.

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gators
season

All of the transbasin ditches
in the Wes t Divide Creek area;
irrigation water.

are owned and operated by irri-
water is used to provide late

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The major project area wate'rshed features are shown on Figure

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Complete USGS and USBR records for gages in the project area
are provided in Appendices A and B.

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B. Water Rights

1. Colorado River Basin

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Because Colorado is a state in which water is distributed by
prior-appropriation, the large, senior water rights tend to control
the flow of water in the basin. The large senior water rights
together with the many smaller rights and supplemental agreements bet-
ween users determine the overall operation of the basin. Junior water
rights can be implemented and may operate, but only so long as the
senior rights are not harmed.

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For the purpose of water rights administration the State of
Colorado is divided into 7 divisions, Division 5 being the Colorado
River Basin,excluding the Gunnison River. Division 5 is divided into
12 districts, see Figure 111-3. Water rights can be subdivided into
four types:

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Decreed - Direct Diversion
Decreed - Storage
Conditional - Direct Divers:lon
Conditional - Storage

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III-I,

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