BOARD01905

• Board Meeting Date: 3/24/2003
• Description: CF Section - Silt Water Conservancy District
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
WVIfW .cwcb.state.co.us

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

TO:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

John Van SCiver, P.E. .::r\<fV
Mike Serlet, P.E., Chief ,$ /"
Water Supply Planning ari6~nance Section.

Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director

FROM:

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

Dan McAuliffe
Depnty Director

DATE: March 11,2003

SUBJECT: Agenda Item 24a., March 24-26, 2003 Board Meeting
Silt Water Conservancy District

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Introduction
The Silt Water Conservancy District (SWCD) is applying for a $486,000 Small Project loan to replace
the transformer for its pumping plant on the Colorado River. The estimated total cost of the project is
$540,100. Please see the attached project summary and map.

Backaround
The SWCD, located in Garfield County, operates Silt Project facilities for the benefit of the District
landowners/shareholders by providing direct flow and storage of irrigation water. The Silt Project
includes several prinCiple features: Rifle Gap Dam and Reservoir, Harvey Gap Dam and Reservoir,
Grass Valley Canal, Davie Ditch, a pumping plant, a lateral system, and other associated features.
The SWCD pump plant on the Colorado River delivers water to the Pump Canal, which serves
agricultural users on the lower reaches of Silt Mesa. The pump plant was built in the mid 1960's, and
is located 2 miles east of the Town of Silt. It has a capacity of 36 CFS, and delivers an average of
4,000 acre-feet per year. The pump plant transformer must be replaced due to a scheduled upgrade
of the transmission line by Xcel Energy.

Feasibilitv Studies
The SWCD has worked with the Western Area Power Administration to conduct a feasibility study. The
study was completed January 2003 and includes an assessment of alternatives available for upgrading
the transformer for the pumping plant.

The Silt Water Conservancy District
The SWCD was formed and decreed June 3, 1957 under the "Water Conservancy Act" of the State
of Colorado (C.R.S. 1953, 149-6-1 to 149-6-43). There are 305 landowners and approximately
15,000 acre-feet is delivered annually to a 5,915-acre service area located in the vicinity of the Town
of Silt. The SWCD has the power to collect annual water assessments and taxes paid by District
landowners through the Office of the County Treasurer, in the same manner in which property taxes
are collected. Unpaid taxes and assessments become a lien on lands within the District.