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<br /> <br />IRRIGATION DISTRIBUTION <br />SYSTEMS <br /> <br />Development of surface water supplies for <br />irrigation has taken place over a long period <br />of time in the Front Range area. Those lands <br />that are located near the water supply and <br />that could be served from gravity diversions <br />were developed first. Lands further from the <br />water source and requiring pumping or <br />diversions located at higher elevations were <br />developed later. Finally, transmountain <br />diversions were developed to meet the <br />irrigation water needs of the area. As a <br />result, there is a large number of systems <br />with closely paralleling canals and laterals <br />through which the water is distributed. <br /> <br />This pattern of development has resulted in <br />excessive rights-of-way requirements and <br />operation and maintenance costs. In <br />addition, transportation and operational <br />water losses have resulted in seepage <br />problems and water logged lands in some <br />places. A multiplicity of water rights and <br />complicated water exchanges make <br />administration difficult. Water supplies are <br />overappropriated. Some smaller ditches <br />have decrees much larger than their <br />capacities. <br /> <br />The present form of ownership is usually a <br />stock company with water users as <br />stockholders. Funds for the necessary <br />maintenance of the systems are provided by <br />assessments on a per-share basis. To keep <br />these assessments low, maintenance on <br />many systems has been kept to a minimum. <br /> <br />RECREA TlON <br /> <br />Recreational opportunity is one of the more <br />important factors contributing to the <br />attractiveness of the Front Range area. Much <br />of the permanent settlement undoubtedly <br />stems from previous vacation visits. <br /> <br />Colorado is justifiably proud of its <br />Nationwide reputation for beautiful <br />mountains, forests, and lakes, and fishing <br />and hunting. <br /> <br />Unfortunately, two forms of restriction on <br />recreation activities have surfaced in the <br />Front Range area, paralleled with the <br />economic development. First, the recreation <br />opportunities are spread over a large part of <br />the State, from the plains and rivers of the <br />Front Range through the mountains of the <br />western slope, but most of the State's <br />population is centered in a relatively small <br />geographical area, along the interface of the <br />mountains and eastern plains. <br /> <br />Additional recreation sites are therefore <br />needed within short travel time from this <br />population center. As a fortunate <br />coincidence, water-oriented recreation <br />opportunities have increased with the <br />population expansion, although not as <br />rapidly. The water resource developments <br />associated with irrigated agriculture and <br />those necessary to meet the M&I demands <br />of the cities in many cases also provide <br />recreation areas to serve the residents of the <br />Front Range. However, the present <br />combination of a healthy Front Range <br />economy, increasing population, and more <br />leisure time will soon strain the capacity of <br />these developments to the point of waning <br />attractiveness. <br /> <br />Secondly, this same demand has brought <br />privately owned land and water into the <br />recreation market, and many private areas <br />are being opened for recreation, fish, and <br />wildlife opportunities. Increasingly, rights of <br />ownership are being exercised for the <br />purpose of restricting entry completely. <br />Temporary rights to use the land and water <br />for fishing, hunting, or recreational purposes <br />are leased, and some land is being <br />purchased by individuals and organizations <br />specifically for these purposes. <br /> <br />111-5 <br /> <br />