WSP02962

• File Number: 8054.100
• Description: Water Salvage - Water Salvage Study - HB 91-1154
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 1/22/1992
• Author: CWCB
• Title: Irrigation Water Salvage Issues in the Grand Valley of Colorado - Final and Various Drafts
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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I. Introduction:

The Water Conservation Act of 1991, HB 91-1154, contained a provision directing
the Colorado Water Conservation Board (Board) to "conduct an analysis of water salvage
which may result from federal programs, including salinity control...." Section 37-60-106.5,
c.R.S. During discussions of that analysis the Board recognized that the General
Assembly's interest in water salvage arose, at least in part, from a complex water supply
situation in the Grand Valley reach of the Colorado River near Grand Junction, Colorado.
Representative Foster's bill, HB 91-1110, sought to address one aspect of this situation -
"saved" water resulting from improved irrigation efficiency. The Board directed that this
situation be examined specifically, separate and apart from a more comprehensive, or
"global" analysis of water salvage and conservation on a statewide basis. This report
addresses the Grand Valley issues.

II. Overview of Grand Valley Water Issues

Several very senior water rights diverting from the Colorado River several miles
above its confluence with the Gunnison River near Grand Junction effectively "control"
water use in the basin. Collectively these rights are known as the "Cameo Call". There are
no significant diversions in Colorado downstream of these rights. Due to the senionty of
these rights the users in the Grand Valley normally receive a full supply of water, sufficient
for all their needs, The Cameo Call consists of water rights decreed for a tOlal of 2,374 cfs
with priority dates between 1882 and 1918, however due to size limits in various slructures
a maximum of 2,260 cfs can be diverted at anyone time. A list of these rights and a map
showing the location of major features in the Grand Valley is attached as Table 1 and
Figure 1.

Except for a 400 cis hydropower right and 270 cfs used for pumping irrigation water
at Orchard Mesa the remainder (1,700 cis) of these rights are used for irrigation. Rights
of 1,730 cfs are diverted at a common point, the Grand Valley Diversion Dam, and
delivered in an extensive interconnected system of canals, known as the Grand Valley
Project, built with federal reclamation assistance. The remaining 640 cis, including the-most
senior 520 cfs, is diverted by the Grand Valley Irrigation Company (GVlC) at a separate
diversion dam, 8 miles downstream, near the town of Palisade. GVlC is a privately built
and operated system with approximately 3,000 shareholders. The Orchard Mesa "Check"
allows delivery of a portion of the Grand Valley Project diversions into the GVlC system.

The bedrock and soils of the Grand Valley are of marine origin and contain high
amounts of salt. When irrigated these salts leach out of the soil and bedrock, creating saline
return flows to the Colorado. making the Grand Valley a large contributor of salt to the
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recognized that salirjry of the Colorado River was a major water quality problem. In

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