WSP03745

• File Number: 8111.815
• Description: Arkansas River Compact Administration
• Basin: Arkansas
• Date: 4/1/1990
• Author: UCACOE
• Title: Drought Contingency Plan - John Martin and Trinidad Lake - Appendix D
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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The Bessemer Ditch is diverted through a special outlet in Pueblo
Reservoir. It flows in an open canal through the south side of the city of
Pueblo. When the ditch is diverting, it also delivers water to the St. Charles
Mesa Water District, a municipal user.

The Colorado Canal has two major off-stream reservoirs: Lake Henry and
Lake Meredith. Water is stored in these reservoirs during the winter. From Lake
Henry, the lands irrigated by the Colorado Canal can be irrigated directly by
gravity flow. Lake Meredith is topographically too low to irrigate lands by
gravity flow. An exchange with the Holbrook canal, the Fort Lyon Storage Canal,
or the Arkansas River is necessary to enable use of Lake Meredith water by users
of the Colorado Canal.

The High1ine Canal company has rights to divert not only native water from
the Arkansas River, but also transmountain diversion water. Highline Canal
company has a contract with the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project to store imported
water in Turquoise Lake. Transmountain water is used to supplement di rec t
diversions, and to maintain an even-flowing ditch during the irrigation season.
The High1ine Canal diverts from the south bank at a point just downstream from
the Huerfano River, irrigating 26,000 acres in Pueblo and Otero Counties.

The Catlin Canal diverts from the south side of the river just downstream
from the confluence of the Apishapa River, near Manzano1a and Rocky Ford. The
Catlin Canal Company usually stores its transmountain diversions by exchange in
space, leased in the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project System.

Holbrook Canal diverts from the north bank a short distance downstream from
State Highway 207 bridge near Manzano1a. Exchange water from Lake Meredith can
be released into Holbrook Canal. From the Holbrook Canal, water can be stored
in the 7,986 acre-feet Dye Reservoir, or the 7,472 acre-feet Holbrook reservoir.
Neither reservoir can normally release water directly to the land, but must rely
on an exchange with the river.

The Rocky Ford Canal diverts from the south bank at a point about midway
between the towns of Manzano1a and Rocky Ford. Water rights in this Canal are
very early water rights and are in priority most of the time. The Rocky Ford
canal has been sold to the city of Aurora. A portion of the water diverted by
the Rocky Ford canal can be stored upstream.

The Fort Lyon Storage Canal delivers water to Horse Creek and Adobe
Reservoirs. Horse Creek Reservoir can deliver water directly to the Fort Lyon
Canal. Releases from Adobe Creek Reservoir go down the channel of Adobe Creek
directly into the Fort Lyon Canal.

The Fort Lyon Canal diverts from the north side of the river about midway
between Swink and La Junta. The Canal receives irrigation water in turn.

The Las Animas Consolidated Canal diverts from the south side of the river,
about 8 miles upstream from Las Animas. Water can be delivered from the Highland
Ditch, which diverts from the Purgatoire River upstream from Las Animas into the
Las Animas Consolidated Canal. The diversion of water from the High1ine Ditch

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