GVWUA History

The Grand Valley Water Users’ Association is a non-profit corporation formed in 1905 as part of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Grand Valley Project. The GVWUA operates the 55 mile long Government Highline Canal and 150 miles of piped and open laterals, providing irrigation water to approximately 23,340 acres of irrigated land. The series of laterals deliver water to individual and shared headgates in the service area. Transfer of water rights Water rights in the GVWUA have been allocated to the lands through “Subscription for Stock” agreements. These agreements were entered into by the GVWUA and owners of irrigable lands in the early 1900’s and were recorded with the Mesa County Clerk and Recorder’s office. When land ownership changes, the water stays with the land and cannot be sold separately.

Grand Valley Water Users Association
Grand Valley Project

Project Construction began in 1912

Government Highline Canal is 55 miles long with 19 miles concrete or membrane lined.

150 miles of Project operated lateral with approximately 130 miles of pressure piped laterals.
 
Approximately 100 miles of drainage ditches maintained by GVWUA.

• 23,341.   Class One Irrigated Acres
• 1,000.      Flow Metered Deliveries
• 1,698.      Water User Accounts

 
Water diverted at the Roller Dam for the following:
      GVWUA - 730 cfs.
      Orchard Mesa Irrigation District - 460 cfs
      Palisade Power Plant - (2 units with 3,000 kw output) - 400 cfs in summer
                                                                                                        800 cfs in winter
     Palisade Irrigation District (Price Ditch) - 80.0 cfs Senior Right
                                                                            - 23.5 cfs Junior Right
      Mesa County Irrigation District ( Stub Ditch) - 40 cfs
 
227,447 Acre Feet - 3 year average flow at Indian Wash for GVWUA Use.