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DIVERSION RECORDS SUMMARY • This section summarizes the diversion records of ditches within the various drainage basins. This information represents as average of diversions for 1961 through 1981 as taken from the State Engineer's Office. Also included with each summary is a total for Srrigation diversions for the entire drainage basins. The HydroDynamics "Water Rights Identification and Analysis for an Area North of Paonia, Colorado" report further shows diversions on a monthly basis. The availability of flows from a water right is best indicated by these diver- sion records: The decreed flows are not as important because of the priority system utilized in the State of Colorado. Just because a certain flow is decreed does not guarantee Chat water is available. By State Water Law, the most senior right has the opportunity to fill all of Sts decree before any ,junior right would get any. Irrigation water is used more than once. Studies by HydroDynamics show that approximately 45% of the irrigation flows are consumed and the other 55% is lost to run-off, interflow, and deep percolation. (The 45% was calculated utilizing the Blaney-Griddle technique.) Because not all of the water is con- _ sumed and ditches re-use run-off from other lands, diversion records may actually show more diversions than was initially supplied to the area. The diversion records also show the importance of the timing of ELows. Run-oEf typically occurs in April, May, and June of each year. Unfortunately, irriga- • tion water is also necessary during the additional months of July, August, Sep- tember, and October. These flows are supplemented by storage reservoirs such as Overland Reservoir and Terror Reservoir. Typically, during the months of April, May, and June, not all flows are utilized. In dry times, all flow would be used. The diversion records for CWI owned water rights are also summarized. CWI water rights are as stated in that section of this Volume.