Storage of Water on Cache La Poudre and Big Thompson Rivers

Excerpts from the Introduction: The purpose of this report is to show the success and value of storage works, constructed by private capital and operated as private enterprises, and to describe the methods employed in their operation in order to encourage and aid the further extension of this form of irrigation development. With the exception of the fruit districts in southern California, probably in no place is there as scientific and profitable a use of the water available for irrigation as in parts of Colorado. A study has been made of the storage on two streams in the north-central portion of the State—the Cache la Poudre and Big Thompson rivers—where an advanced stage of development has been reached. At present nearly all the water of these two streams not used for direct irrigation is stored, and if progress continues for a few years practically all of it will be used. This has been effected by the construction of numerous reservoirs, comparatively small or medium in size, entirely with private capital, by the irrigators themselves, who now control and operate their own works. The aim of the report is to show how the farmers proceeded and to present the faults and merits of their plans as brought out by the test of usage, that their experience may benefit others in similar under takings. The more general and popular questions of storage have been much discussed, but with little reference to the details of construction and operation. An attempt, therefore, was made to collect information regarding all the details of construction, the dimensions of dams and outlets, the efficiency of the works, and the legal conditions of storage, which might be of value to those unfamiliar with such work.