UNCOMPAHGRE VALLEY WATER USERS ASSOCIATION STEVE ANDERSON UNCOMPAHGRE VALLEY FOOD AND FARM FORUM Where does are water come from? Where does it go? UNCOMPAHGRE VALLEY WATER USERS ASSOCIATION STEVE ANDERSON NOT MY TITLE INITIAL THOUGHT WAS WHAT ARE THEY AFTER. HOW WILL I TAKE UP 30 MINUTES NOW CAN I DO THIS SUBJECT JUSTICE IN 30 MINUTES

WHERE DOES OUR WATER COME FROM? UPPER GUNNISON BASIN WATER DIVERTED THROUGH GUNNISON TUNNEL SOURCES TAYLOR DAM AND RESERVOIR OTHER DRAINAGES FEEDING THE ASPINALL UNIT EAST RIVER OHIO CREEK COCHETOPA CREEK LAKEFORK RIVER CIMARRON RIVER QUICK ANSWER IS RAIN AND SHOW FALL. LONG ANSWER IS FROM THE UPPER GUNNISON AND UNCOMPAHGRE BASINS IN 1935 TAYLOR DAM WAS CONSTRUCTED TAYLOR RIVER IS THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTER BUT ALSO????? EAST RIVER COMES OUT OF CRESTED BUTTE JIONS THE TAYLOR AT ALMONT AND BECOMES THE GUNNISON OHIO CREEK JOINS IN GUNNISON FROM THE WEST AND NORTH COCHETOPA CREEK JOINS FROM THE SOUTH AND EAST LAKEFORK RIVER ENTER BLUE MESA RESERVOIR CIMARRON BELOW MORROW POINT FEEDING CRYSTAL WATER IN THE 60’S THE ASPINALL UNIT BLUE MESA, MORROW POINT, AND CRYSTAL

WHERE DOES OUR WATER COME FROM? UNCOMPAHGRE BASIN RIDGWAY RESERVOIR DRAINAGES FEEDING RIDGWAY RESERVOIR UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER DALLAS CREEK DRAINAGES BELOW RIDGWAY RESERVOIR COW CREEK OWL CREEK PASS DITCH OTHER SOURCES SPRING CREEK DRY CREEK CEDAR CREEK UNCOMPAHGRE BASIN LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER DALLAS CREEK ALSO FEEDS RIDGWAY RESERVOIR DRAINAGE BELOW COW CREEK AND A TRANS MOUNTAIN DIVERSION COW CREEK CAN BE A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE BUT DRIES UP AFTER SNOW RUNOFF OWL CREEK PASS DITCH DIVERTS WATER FROM WEST FORK OF CIMARRON OVER OWL CREEK PASS SMALL CONTRIBUTION AS UVWUA RENTS THIS WATER TO RANCHES BELOW OWL CREEK PASS OTHER SOURCES ARE SEASONAL EXCEPT FOR PRECIPITATION EVENTS. SPRING CREEK FROM THE SOUTH AND WEST DRY CREEK SOUTHWEST OF OLATHE CEDAR CREEK FROM CIERRO SUMMIT AREA EAST OF MONTROSE

DIVERSIONS GUNNISON TUNNEL DIVERSIONS UNCOMPAHGRE DIVERSIONS COMMENTS: 350,000 to 400,000 ACRE FEET UNCOMPAHGRE DIVERSIONS 500,000 TO 600,000 ACRE FEET COMMENTS: NOT BANKABLE NUMBERS DEPENDENT ON WATER YEAR WEATHER MORE THAN HALF OF DIVERSIONS FROM GUNNISON RIVER ROUGH ESTIMATE OF DIVERSIONS VERY DEPENDENT ON TYPE OF WATER YEAR WEATHER HAS A HUGH INFLUENCE

CANALS, LATERALS, & DRAINS SOUTH CANAL 11.4 MILES 1000 CFS WEST CANAL 21.2 MILES 130 CFS MONTROSE & DELTA 40.0 MILES 500 CFS LOUTZENHIZER CANAL 14.5 MILES 200 CFS SELIG CANAL 20.0 MILES 220 CFS IRONSTONE CANAL 14.0 MILES 400 CFS EAST CANAL 10.6 MILES 170 CFS GARNET CANAL 10.7 MILES 50 CFS LATERALS TOTALING 438 MILES DRAINS 216 MILES SOUTH LARGEST CANAL FROM TUNNEL SOUTH WEST TO UNCOMPAHGRE WEST CANAL FEED FROM SOUTH ACROSS A FLUME OVER THE UNCOMPAHGRE ALSO FROM A DIVERSION M&D LARGEST DIVERSION ON UNCOMPAYGRE LONGEST CANAL FROM COLONA TO PEA GREEN ORIGINALLY PRIVATELY OWNED LOUTZY DIVERT NEAR CHIPETA FEEDS MONTROSE AND EAST SELIG DIVERT AT LASALLE ROAD FEEDS EAST SIDE HAS TWO TUNNELS IRONSTONE 2ND LARGEST UNCOMPAHGRE DIVERSION FEEDS WEST SIDE ASH & CALIFORNIA MESAS EAST CANAL DIVERTED AT OLATHE FEEDS EAST SIDE ORIGINALLY A PRIVATE CANAL GARNET DIVERTED NORTH OF OLATHE FEEDS GARNET MESA AND DELTA LATERALS 438 MILES LARGEST WITH CAPACITIES TO 60 CFS DRAINS ANOTHER 216 MILES TO MAINTAIN OFTEN PROVIDE RETURN FLOWS TO THE PROJECT WEST SIDE IS DEPENDENT ON RETURN FLOWS

PRECIPITATION Winter Snows Summer Rains Should not discount the importance of local precipitation events Farmers speak of million dollar rains LOCAL SNOWS ON THE PROJECT AREA PROVIDE SOIL MOISTURE. TIMELY SUMMER RAINS CAN REALLY HELP THIS SUMMER ONE FARMER THOUGHT THE RAINS WOULD REALLY INCREASE HIS BEAN YIELD

WHERE DOES IT GO? EVAPORATION Our experience on a hot August day this is a significant loss. INFILTRATION One only has to look at the wetlands created around our canals and laterals. TRANSPIRATION An acre of corn can transpire over 2.5 acre feet per season. RETURN FLOWS Trying to balance our account has been attempted numerous times with out much success. EVAPORATION WE HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE DRYING UP THE TAIL ENDS ON HOT DAYS INFILTRATION LOOK AT THE WETLANDS DID I SAY THAT—CAT IS OUT OF THE BAG AS WE PIPE WE MITIGATE FOR WETLANDS TRANSPIRATION HUGH NUMBER OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT RETURN FLOWS MAKE HELP MAKE OUT SYSTEM RUN PARTICULARLY ON THE WEST SIDE

EVAPORATION AND INFILTRATION Estimated to amount to 35 percent of out diversions. Installation of projects enhancements can significantly reduce. Very expensive. East Side Experience. West Side Study. THIS IS REALLY A TEXT BOOK NUMBER BUREAU OF RECLAMATION HAS MADE AN ATTEMPTED TO QUANTIFY WITHOUT

RETURN FLOWS LEAVING PROJECT LOUTSENHIZER WASH EAST CANAL SPILL DRY CREEK ROUBIDEAU CREEK SEEP CREEK CUMMINGS GULCH UNCOMPAHGRE AT OLATHE VS AT DELTA

CONCLUSION He who expects the letter of the law in relation to irrigation to be executed with the precision of clockwork, and that infallible results will be obtained, has a small conception to the tangled web of difficulties in the way, and a meagre knowledge of the uncertainties of the element to be manipulated. J.P. Maxwell Colorado State Engineer 1890