PROJ00434

• Contract/PO #: C153337
• Contractor Name: Farmers Extension Ditch & Highland Lake Lateral Company
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 1
• County: Weld
• Bill Number: FSA
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

are far from the ditch which creates even ~ore problems in evaluating the origin

of the seepage. Bedrock in the area is predominately shallow. The vertical

seepage from the ditch runs underground along this bedrock and then surfaces.

The origins o,f this seepage cannot be varified until a soils report is completed,

making the completion of the soils report, ,mentioned earlier in this report,

that much more important.

There are approximately 26,700 acre-feet which pass into the ditch in a season

from ditch company records. Since there are approximately 24,700 acre-feet used

for irrigation each season, that means that there are approximately 2,000 acre-

feet lost to evaporation and seepage. We have estimated that only 44.50 acre-feet

are lost to evaporation over the year; therefore, this loss is negligable.

Nineteen hundred and fifty five (1,955) acre-feet translates to a seepage loss

of 8.10 cubic feet of water per second over the length of the ditch. This is

not an unreasonable figure taking into account the existing shape of the ditch.

This loss accounts for ninety eight percent (98%) of the water loss from Highland

Lake Lateral and Farmers Ditch.

When we look at the alternatives later in this report, we will want to pick an

alternative which stresses first the elimination of seepage, and then if possible,

evaporation. The present cost of water on the ditch is about .06 an inch.* Just

by saving on seepage losses, the ditch can save some 39,100 inches of water a

year or almost twenty four hundred dollars'($2,400). Based on last years carrying

charge of about five thousand dollars ($5,000), this represents a savings of 48%.

The savings of water due to evaporation amounts to approximately nine hundred

(900) inches or only fifty four dollars ($54) a year. Some day the water lost

from evaporation could become critical. However presently, very little capital

expenditure could be justified for evaporation control.

*One (1) inch is equal to one (1) min$rs inch or 1/20th of an acre foot of

water of 1/40th of a second foot of water.

1 inch = 2,165 cubic feet of water:and,

1 inch = 2,165 cubic feet per second

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