Main MenuNOTE: Although this page is dedicated to the Uncompahgre Project, our February 2021 Newsletter inadvertently linked this page to the 2020 Annual Report for the Uncompahgre Partnership which can be read here.
For more information on this important watershed please visit their website: https://www.uncompahgrewatershed.org
The Uncompahgre Project is located on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains in west-central Colorado, and is managed by the UVWUA for the benefit of its shareholders. This federal irrigation project was constructed by the USBR in the early 1900’s and is operated by the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association (UVWUA) via contract.
Project lands make up most of the Uncompahgre Valley beginning near Colona, Colorado and extend 34 miles along both sides of the Uncompahgre River to Delta, Colorado. Project features include Taylor Park Dam and Reservoir, the Gunnison Tunnel, 7 diversion dams, 128 miles of main canals, 438 miles of laterals, and 216 miles of drains. The irrigation system diverts water from both the Uncompahgre and Gunnison Rivers to serve over 76,000 acres of project land. For additional information about Uncompahgre Project history, facilities, benefits, etc., please click here.
LGP RCPP Projects in the Uncompahgre
Phase 9 East Side Laterals Piping Project
Project Description: This irrigation system improvement project proposes to reduce seepage loses by replacing existing open, leaky, earthen irrigation laterals with a system of closed (PVC or other) pipe. The piping project will benefit several targeted sub-basins, including the Loutzenhizer Arroyo, Peach Valley Arroyo and Sunflower Drainage sub-basins of the Uncompahgre River Basin in Montrose and Delta Counties, Colorado. In total, it is proposed that approximately over 20 miles of delivery system improvements will be implemented to benefit approximately 2,800 acres of irrigated land.
This project will be constructed in partnership with the following funding partners and organizations for the benefit of the UVWUA:
FUNDING SOURCE | FUNDING AMOUNT*
Basinwide Salinity Control Program – $5,363,078
CWA Section 319 Non-Point Source Program Funds – $230,000
NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program Funds – $1,300,000
TOTAL PROJECT FUNDING: $6,893,078
* Cost estimates and project details are subject to change.
The Phase 9 Piping project includes the following components (Reclamation Phase 9 Project Map):
- Pipe existing open ditch laterals: EU, GB, GBA, GK 12,700 ft. to End, EO So. EO 0.93-4.26, EO Lower 9.30-11.49. Total miles of laterals piped: 81,632 ft. (15.5 miles). NRCS RCPP funds are currently dedicated to the construction of the GB & GBA lateral piping projects as identified in the RCPP UVWUA Focus Area Map (UVWUA RCPP map).
- New piped lateral inter-tie construction: GK to EO feeder lateral – 5,617 ft. (1.06 miles)
- Lateral abandonment: EO 4.26 – 9.30 – 26,611 ft. (5.04 miles)
Beneficially impacting 21.6 miles when completed, as proposed.
Natural Resource & Other Project Benefits (estimates subject to change and verification)
- Water-quality: Selenium reduction range of 241-482 lbs/year; Salinity reduction estimated at 6,030 tons/year.
- Irrigation Water Delivery System Efficiency: Eliminates losses estimated at 1,060 ac-ft/year.
- Provides Pressurized Deliveries: GK and EO laterals will have pressurized deliveries that will enable interested landowners to convert to high-efficiency irrigation systems (e.g. sprinkler or drip). There are a total of 23 eligible deliveries serving approximately 981 acres.
- Endangered Species Habitat Improvement: Piping open earthen laterals will minimize seepage losses that can lead to selenium loading to occupied critical fish habitat in the Lower Gunnison and lower Colorado Rivers
- Enables Soil Health Practices: Conversion to high efficiency irrigation systems enables on-farm soil health practices that cannot be carried out under typical wild or improved flood systems (e.g., gated pipe irrigation).
- Agricultural Sustainability: The integrated system improvements will assist growers become more productive, labor efficient and therefore more competitive economically while addressing natural resource concerns.
- Drought resiliency: Proactively helps water providers and landowners prepare for future drought conditions and hydrological variability in the lower Gunnison Basin.
Environmental & Cultural Resource Compliance Schedule
Project specific environmental and cultural resource compliance is currently taking place under the oversight of Reclamation. Public input will also be sought during the development of the RCPP Watershed Plan Process which has been initiated (December 1, 2016).
Construction Schedule
The Phase 9 Lateral Piping Project is slated to beginning November 2017. More detailed construction schedules will be available as the project implementation date nears. Information regarding project details and progress will be available here.
Uncompahgre Project West Side System Optimization Study
Project Description: The purpose of the Uncompahgre Project West Side System Optimization Plan is to conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of water efficiency improvements and system optimization opportunities that will result in recommended changes to the existing network of open water delivery canals and laterals on the west side of the Uncompahgre Project.
This planning project is being carried out by the Irrigation Training & Research Center (ITRC) (an institute of California Polytechnical University) and will be done in partnership with the following organizations:
FUNDING SOURCE | FUNDING AMOUNT
UVWUA – $5,021
NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program Funds – $234,150
TOTAL PROJECT FUNDING: $239,171
* Budgetary figures are subject to change.
Natural Resource & Other Project Benefits
The results from the planning effort, when implemented, are anticipated to result in:
- The reduction or elimination of delivery system water losses (e.g., to deep percolation, seepage and spill reduction);
- Improvements to water-quality (e.g. reduction in erosion and sediment transport, and decreased selenium and salinity loading associated with deep percolation to groundwater);
- Better operational efficiency resulting in less spills, shortages, flooding, debris; and
- Increased flexibility through development of pressurized deliveries, where feasible, in order to improve local agricultural sustainability and resiliency.
Environmental & Cultural Resource Compliance Schedule
There are no project specific environmental or cultural resource compliance requirements directly associated with the West Side Optimization planning study. If and when these projects are ready for implementation, compliance activities will occur as necessary and required.
Planning Schedule
The Uncompahgre West Side System Optimization Planning effort began with a project kick-off meeting and field tour with the Planning Team on May 25, 2016. For additional information, please contact Steve Anderson
Selig Canal Headgate Improvement & Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Project
The Selig Canal is located on the west side of Highway 50 within the city limits of Montrose and within the Uncompahgre Project area in Montrose County, Colorado. This project will occur in the sub-watershed “City of Montrose – Uncompahgre River.”
Project Description (Selig Canal): The Selig Canal is located on the east side of Highway 50 within the city limits of Montrose but within the Uncompahgre Project Area in Montrose County, Colorado. The Selig Canal diverts water from the Uncompahgre River (89.11 cfs water right) and delivers it to the northeast side of the Uncompahgre Valley from Menoken to Delta to irrigate 22,400 acres. The canal was designed to carry 300 cfs, and has a ten year average annual delivery of 76,024.8 ac-ft. The Selig Canal picks up tail water from the Loutzenhizer Canal laterals and eventual tails into the East Canal System (2013, UVWUA Water Management Plan).
The project involves the construction and installation of a headgate structure, automation components and a SCADA system at the Selig Canal diversion point off of the Uncompahgre River. It is important to note that the east side of the Uncompahgre Project is characterized by high to very high selenium soil mobilization potential and this water use efficiency improvement is designed to help minimize selenium loading when completed.
Natural Resource & Other Project Benefits
The objective of the project is to provide for better canal regulation and control in order to:
- Improve irrigation water management by providing reliable and stable deliveries to water users and therefore eliminating the need for landowners to have to re-start irrigation sets due to instabilities (i.e., bouncing or variable canal levels) in the system;
- Canal stability will help minimize or eliminate the need for re-starting irrigation sets that historically have been adversely impacted by unstable canal levels; this will reduce on-farm deep percolation and therefore reduced on-farm selenium and salinity loading; and
- Improved delivery system water management means less system losses/spills at Loutzenhizer Arroyo and therefore less selenium loading to this sub basin which is currently identified in the lower Gunnison Basin Selenium TMDL (CDPHE 2011).
Environmental & Cultural Resource Compliance Schedule
Environmental and cultural resource compliance activities will be accomplished through the RCPP Watershed Planning Process and in collaboration with Reclamation. It is anticipated that a Nationwide 404 CWA permit will be required in order to work adjacent to and within the Uncompahgre River in order to clean gravel and temporarily dry the diversion area in front of the headgate for construction.
Construction Schedule
It is anticipated that construction of the new headgate will take place in the fall of 2017. A more detailed construction schedule is being prepared and information regarding project details and progress will be available here as the project implementation date nears.
Loutzenhizer Canal Headgate Improvement & SCADA Project
The objective of the Loutzenhizer Canal Headgate Automation, Remote Monitoring & SCADA implementation project is to provide stable and reliable deliveries to water users who depend upon this system for their irrigation water and to address public health and safety issues related to canal overtopping. The Loutzenhizer Canal improvements are located at the head of the Loutzenhizer Canal at the Uncompahgre River diversion point within a densely populated area in the City of Montrose. The Loutzenhizer Canal was designed to carry 200 cfs, is 20 miles long (the first part running through the City of Montrose), and currently has 127.4 cfs decreed water rights from the Uncompahgre River to irrigate 11,200 acres on the far east side of the Uncompahgre Project. The Loutzenhizer Canal drains into the Selig and East Canals with excess water spilling into the Loutzenhizer Arroyo.
Project Description: The Loutzenhizer headgate automation system is failing and has to be operated manually by UVWUA staff twice a day for cleaning, maintenance and deliveries. This project involves replacing the existing (more than 50 years old), failing, hardwired relay control headgate system on the Loutzenhizer Canal in the Uncompahgre Project with a updated programmable Controller (PLC) based system for automatic headgate control (including a sluiceway gate) with SCADA remote monitoring / alarming system. Project activities will be confined within the canal area and a very small area adjacent to the canal within the maintenance right of way where a control system cabinet will be located.
Natural Resource & Other Project Benefits
- During drought years, there are water shortages within the Loutzenhizer service area (UVWUA Water Management Plan, 2013) that have resulted in drying up the Uncompahgre River at the diversion point. It is estimated that during the irrigation season, on a daily basis, fully operational headgates should result in the ability to decrease required diversion amounts by at least 10%, leaving more water in the Uncompahgre River (estimated to be 3,750ac-ft/year);
- Further down the canal, the UVWUA operators frequently have to spill water into a wash near the EO lateral (Sunflower Drain) because they can’t adequately control canal bounces with the existing old, manually operated headgate. Eliminating or reducing these spills are anticipated to result in significant selenium load reduction benefits; and
- This project also reduces potential risk of life and property danger due to the potential for flooding within a densely populated urban area in the City of Montrose, especially during storm events.
Environmental & Cultural Resource Compliance
Because the proposed headgate improvement project takes place almost entirely within the canal area, it is anticipated that work can be accomplished under a Categorical Exclusion Checklist (CEC).
Construction Schedule
The proposed project is slated to begin fall of 2017.
East Canal Headgate Improvement & SCADA Project
The East Canal (a.k.a. Colorow Ditch) joins the end of the old Loutzenhizer Ditch and tails at the “Dragon’s Teeth” above the Gunnison River at Delta. It presently carries a total of 85.08 cfs decreed water rights and was designed to carry 325 cfs. The East Canal delivers water from the Uncompahgre River to the east side of the Uncompahgre Valley from Olathe to Delta to irrigate 22,000 acres. Ten-year average annual diversions are approximately 53,147 ac-ft (as calculated between 2003-2012).
Project Description: The current East Canal headgate automation system is failing and has to be operated manually by UVWUA staff twice a day for cleaning, maintenance and deliveries. This project involves replacing the existing 50+ year old, failing, hardwired relay control headgate system on the East Canal in the federal Uncompahgre Project with a completely new programmable Controller (PLC) based system for automatic headgate control (sluiceway gate) and SCADA remote monitoring / alarming system. Project activities will be confined within the canal prism and a very small area adjacent to the canal within the maintenance right of way where a control system cabinet will be located.
Natural Resource & Other Benefits
- Water better managed: 53,147 ac-ft/year.
- Reductions in spill: Improved irrigation delivery system management means fewer spill at the Dragon’s Teeth and more water within the system for downstream water users. Extreme shortages of water within the East system were documented during the drought of 2012.
- Selenium and salinity reduction benefits: More stable irrigation deliveries should result in better on-farm irrigation water management because sets do not have to be re-started.
- Fully automated headgates with remote monitoring are an important system modernization control component of the future planned East canal enhancement improvement projects.
Environmental & Cultural Resource Compliance
Because the proposed headgate improvement project takes place almost entirely within the canal prism, it is anticipated that work can be accomplished under a Categorical Exclusion Checklist (CEC).
Construction Schedule
Construction is slated to begin fall of 2018.
Project Highlights (Under Construction)
Contacts
Steve Anderson, General Manager
Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association
601 N. Park Avenue
Montrose, CO 81401
Phone: 970-249-3813
Email: [email protected]