WSP00020

• File Number: 8276.130
• Description: Grand Valley Unit-Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 6/10/1985
• Title: Formal Organizations for Operation of Laterals In the Grand Valley Unit of the Colorado Basin Salinity Control Project
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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~ municipal water. We do not believe that a water district would be

as suitable and appropriate a form for a Proposed Organization as

would other available forms of organizations.

8. Existing Irrigation Districts.

At present three of the canals within the Grand Valley Unit

are operated by existing Irrigation Districts (Palisade Irrigation

District, Mesa County Irrigation District and Orchard Mesa

Irrigation District) organized under the Irrigation District Laws

of either 1905 or 1921. 8 Sections 37-41-101, 37-42-101 and

37-43-101, C.R.S. The Irrigation Districts Laws were forerunners

of the Water Conservancy District Law (discussed in Section 11

below). The authority and powers of Irrigation Districts are

discussed more fully in Section 10 below.

In our judgment, the existing Irrigation Dis':.ricts possess the

desirable features (discussed in Part VI above) ,,.,rhich would enable

such districts to serve as Proposed Organizations for laterals

within the districts. We suggest that representatives of the

Colorado Water Conservation Board confer with principals of each

of the three districts to determine whether such districts (or any

of them) would be interested in becoming a Proposed Organization.

Before hand, however, a policy determination should be obtained

from the Secretary as to whether each existing district covers a

8
The Palisade Irrigation District was initially formed under
the Irrigation Act of 1903 which was repealed and replaced by the
1905 Act.

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