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<br />. <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />The Grand Mesa Water Conservancy District holds diversion and storage <br /> <br /> <br />water rights which would be used in the Project. It is calculated that under <br /> <br /> <br />strict administration these rights would yield an average of 8,500 acre-feet <br /> <br /> <br />per year. If in the future some exchange agreements between flood water and <br /> <br /> <br />stored water could be worked out, the effective yield would be significantly <br /> <br /> <br />increased. <br /> <br />It is anticipated that some land conversion will occur as a result of the <br /> <br /> <br />Project. Fruit remains the preferred crop on much of the farmland in the <br /> <br /> <br />Project Area but requires a reliable, adequate, and timely water supply. The <br /> <br /> <br />Project water supply will provide water when necessary to lands that <br /> <br /> <br />historically have not received water in the late season. Much of the economic <br /> <br /> <br />benefit from the project will be due to income from new fruit producing lands <br /> <br /> <br />and increased yields from existing orchards. The towns of Cedaredge, Eckert <br /> <br /> <br />and Orchard City have gained popularity in recent years as retirement <br /> <br /> <br />communities. If population increases as trends indicate, municipal water <br /> <br /> <br />supplies will need to be expanded. The Project, as presently conceived, will <br /> <br /> <br />provide water for municipal purposes from Cactus Park Reservoir. <br /> <br />PROJECT FEATURES <br /> <br />Operation of the Grand Mesa Project will center around Cactus Park <br /> <br /> <br />Reservoir. The reservoir will be located 3 miles to the east of Cedaredge <br /> <br /> <br />and, as presently proposed, will impound 20,000 acre-feet of water. The dam <br /> <br /> <br />will contain about 1.9 million cubic yards of embankment material. Releases <br /> <br /> <br />from the reservoir will be conveyed to existing ditches and laterals via the <br /> <br /> <br />Cedar edge Canal. The canal will have a maximum capacity of 160 cfs at the dam <br /> <br /> <br />but will be reduced by diversions to a maximum discharge of 120 cfs into <br /> <br /> <br />Surface Creek above the Alfalfa Ditch diversion. <br /> <br />Other new construction will include: 1) the Big Ditch Extension, 2) the <br /> <br /> <br />Currant Creek Feeder Ditch, and 3) the Upper Cedar Mesa Ditch Feeder. The Big <br /> <br /> <br />Ditch Extension will allow the conveyance of storage releases from the Ward <br /> <br /> <br />and Kiser Creek drainages to the upper areas on Surface Creek. The other two <br /> <br /> <br />canals will be required to supply water to lands near Currant Creek and to the <br /> <br /> <br />upper end of Cedar Mesa. In addition, the existing Cedar Mesa Ditch will be <br /> <br /> <br />enlarged and re-aligned to convey high spring runoff from Surface Creek to <br /> <br />-2- <br />