C150040 Feasibility Study - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

I I I I I I I I I I I I II I II Feasibility of the Re-Construction of the Otero Ditch Co. Diversion Structure and Stream bank Stabilization (EWP Project.) Project Sponsor The Otero Ditch Company (ODC) is a mutual ditch company, and a non-profit corporation registered in the State of Colorado. There are 66 shareholders with 4975 shares of stock. The ODC has the power to set annual assessments to be paid by the shareholders, the power to cut off water deliveries to shareholders that fail to pay their assessments, and the power to offer stock for sale to pay back assessments. The ODC articles of incorporation and bylaws are included in Appendix A. Project Service Area The service area consists of 8000 acres located in Otero County, extending from 2 miles east of Fowler to the east side of La Junta, on the south side of the Arkansas River. The Otero Canal is approximately 90 miles long and delivers water to irrigate corn, alfalfa, produce, and grass. Company water is tied to specific irrigated lands. The elevation is 4400 feet. See maps on page 7. Water Rights Water diverted at the ODC headgate consist of direct flow rights and Fry-Ark project water. The direct flow right is priority No. 13 for 123 cfs, with an appropriation date of March 3, 1891. Average annual total diversions were 20,687 acre-feet for years 1995 through 1998, according to records of the State Engineer's Office. (Year 1999 diversions were ignored because the diversion was inoperable.) See Appendix C. Need for the Project I I I I The ODC is undertaking repairs to their diversion and intake structures to ensure that it can continue to divert water from the Arkansas River. The current facility has two major components. They are the concrete diversion structure and the ditch intake. The diversion was washed out along with the right abutment during severe flooding in April and May 1999. This structure had suffered damage in the past but flooding in the spring of 1999 has rendered the diversion non-operational. The spring flooding also severely damaged the ditch intake to the extent that the Company ditch rider is unable to clean out the debris and trash that lodges in the intake. The Company is unable to divert water unless the river was running at a high level. See photos on page 8. Otero Ditch Company Diversion Structure Feasibility Study February 2000 Page 6 of 20