PROJ00262

• Contract/PO #: C153769
• Contractor Name: Agricultural Ditch & Reservoir Co.
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 0
• County: Jefferson
• Bill Number: SB 97-008
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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Welch and Agricultural Ditches, and return Welch Ditch water to users by pumping out of
the Agricultural Ditch:

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Abandoning sections of the ditch north of South Table Mountain, in the vicinity of the

Denver West area, and south of 6th Avenue to Smith Reservoir will significantly reduce

annual ditch maintenance and repair costs, reduce seepage losses, and eliminate the need

to replace the ditch with pipe through developing areas. Due to the reduction in

maintenance and repair costs and the elimination of the need for large contingencies, this

alternative can be achieved at no additional cost to the user. This alternative is both feasible

and economical, and is considered the preferred alternative because it optimizes the

reliability and yield of the ditch system.

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3.

Completely replace the high maintenance sections of the Welch ditch with pipe and/or
lining:

This would increase the cost of the project considerably with no added benefits to

Alternative Two. Approximately 7.5 miles of pipe and/or lining would be required to

replace the sections of the ditch that have been proposed to be abandoned. In addition,

piping the ditch north of South Table Mountain would be very costly due to the geology in

that area, and would not necessarily eliminate the potential for costly damages due to

landslides or the decreased yields due to the interruptions in supply. Although this is a

possible alternative, it is not economical.

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The Selected Project

Based on an evaluation of the alternatives, the Ditch Company has selected Alternative Two and decided to

abandon several high maintenance sections of the Welch Ditch. A preliminary layout showing the proposed

locations of the abandoned sections, the dropout structure, and the pump station locations is shown in Figure

2.

The Welch Ditch will continue to divert water at its Clear Creek headgate for the Welch users and for

delivery of storage water to the Midway Reservoirs. At a point before the Welch enters a metal flume near

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I Bishop-Brogden Associates, Inc.

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