PROJ00414

• Contract/PO #: C153326
• Contractor Name: Fruitland Mesa Water Conservancy District
• Contract Type: Grant
• Water District: 0
• County: Montrose
• Bill Number: XB 99-999
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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The flows of Iron Creek and diversions from the Crystal Creek,
conveyed to the reservoir through the Fruitland Mesa Ditch, are stored
and released into the Gould Canal for distribution of irrigation
supplies to the Lower Fruitland Mesa service area. A part of dis-
charge (13 cfs) carried by the Cattleman's Ditch is also passed
through the reservoir without benefitting the storage. This discharge
is released into Iron Creek for irrigation in the Lower Iron Creek
service area. The routing of a part of the Cattleman's Ditch dis-
charge through the Gould Reservoir is simply to facilitate better
distribution of irrigation supplies to the service area.

The major irrigation canals serving the project area are: (1) the
Cattleman's Ditch, which conveys water from Crystal Creek at a point
upstream from the diversion works for the Fruitland Mesa Ditch to the
Lower Iron Creek Valley area and is operated by the Cattleman's Ditch
Company; (2) the Crystal Valley Ditch, which conveys flows from
Crystal Creek above the diversion works for the Cattleman's Ditch to
lands in the Crystal Valley and Upper Iron Creek Valley and is oper-
ated by three local farmers in partnership; (3) the Dyer Fork Ditch,
which conveys irrigation water from the Dyer Creek to the Upper Iron
Creek area and is owned and operated by the Dyer Fork Di tch Company;
(4) the Gould Canal, which draws water directly from Gould Reservoir
and delivers it to the Lower Fruitland Mesa area; and (5) the Fruit-
land Mesa' Ditch, which supplies water to the upper Fruitland Mesa area
and supplements irrigation supply to the Lower Fruitland Mesa area.
In addition to these canals, Meek Tunnel, having a discharge capacity
of 12 cfs, can divert water from the Crystal Creek below the Fruitland
Mesa Ditch diversion to the Crystal Valley Irrigation area.

The diversion of Crystal Creek flows to the Gould Reservoir is

made by the Fruitland Mesa Ditch via two diversion structures and

conveyed to the reservoir through an existing natural depression.

The names of the irrigation service areas and the existing irriga-

tion development facilities for those areas are tabulated below:

1-5