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<br />1 <br />~ <br /> <br />~ <br />" <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Feasibility of the Rehabilitation <br />of the <br />Excelsior Ditch <br /> <br />PROJECT SPONSOR <br /> <br />The Excelsior Ditch Company is a Colorado Mutual Ditch Company <br />and a non-profit Corporation. The Articles of Incorporation and <br />Bylaws are included in Appendix A. <br /> <br />The company's facilities, built in the early 1860's, are <br />located on the Arkansas River 7 miles east of Pueblo. They will <br />include a concrete block diversion structure to divert water from <br />the river, two wasteways to return the water to the river and <br />approximately 7 miles of ditch with six recharge ponds built as an <br />integral part of the ditch. <br /> <br />The ditch has a capacity of 60 c.f.s. with the ability to <br />supply about 120 acre feet per day during the irrigation season, <br />subject to the priority dates of the two decrees. <br /> <br />PROJECT SERVICE AREA <br /> <br />The service area of the Excelsior Ditch includes approximately <br />2,200 acres of farm land in Pueblo County. Irrigated crops consist <br />of sorghum-sudan, alfalfa and turf grass. <br /> <br />In addition to irrigating farm land the Excelsior Ditch will <br />be utilized as a recharge facility for well augmentation. Approx- <br />imately 1,000 acres have been dried up, making a significant <br />portion of water available for augmentation purposes. <br /> <br />NEED FOR THE PROJECT <br /> <br />The Excelsior Ditch Company is undertaking this project in <br />order to continue providing irrigation water to its shareholders to <br />irrigate their crops. <br /> <br />The owner prior to C. R. Evans and Southwest Ready-Mix, Inc. <br />grew sod on the land but other reverses forced him into bankruptcy. <br />After 3 years of negotiations, Travelers Insurance Company sold the <br />property to Evans and Southwest. Major rehabilitation work is <br />required, as part of the ditch was filled in, the river diversion <br />facility has deteriorated severely, and silt has: accumulated <br />throughout the length of the ditch. The ditch will have to be <br />cleaned for its full length, a new river diversion works installed, <br />two county road crossings installed( One 6 foot CMP and one double <br />36" CMP), two waste gates rebuilt and a Stevens Type F Recorder <br />($1,700) purchased and installed. <br /> <br />ALTERNATIVES EVALUATED <br /> <br />A range of alternatives was considered including 1) Don't <br /> <br />/ <br />