Irrigation Ditches and Canals
Historical Water Management in Colorado
Irrigation in Colorado
Ditch-irrigation was - and still is - the backbone of Colorado agriculture. Most of the moisture in Colorado falls in the Rocky Mountains in the Spring and quickly flows out of the state along one of Colorado’s 158 named rivers . Diverting and storing water during the run-off months is the key to growing crops throughout the summer. Using man-made ditches, diversions, and reservoirs to store and distribute water to thirsty crops has been practiced in Colorado for over 1200 years. For example, the Ancestral Puebloans diverted water to retaining ponds in the dry southwestern corner of the state at Mesa Verde as early as A.D. 750. Large-scale agriculture requiring irrigation ditches dates much later in Colorado. These historic ditches from the 1840s are first associated with trading posts along the Arkansas River, such as Bent’s Fort and El Pueblo , and surrounding agricultural lands. Following the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the U.S. acquisition of the south-central and southwest corner of the state in 1848, permanent settlements began to spring up in the San Luis Valley . These communities were settled by Hispanos (i.e. former Mexican citizens of Spanish descent who became US citizens under the treaty), who brought along with them a traditional Spanish form of community-managed irrigation called the Acequia system . The first permanent settlement in present-day Colorado was the town of San Luis , which was supported by an acequia – The San Luis Peoples Ditch – which is the oldest continuously-operating ditch in the state; the ditch was appropriated on April 10th, 1852 – pre-dating Colorado statehood by over 24 years!
During the late 1850s, ditches were constructed to support early mining operations in Colorado. Much in the same way ditches allowed farmers to grow crops outside the river valley, ditches also allowed miners to scour for precious minerals away from the rivers and creeks, using ditches to convey the needed water to these otherwise dry deposits. Early ditches were also used to support the municipal water needs of early agricultural communities - in places like Denver , Fort Collins , and Greeley .
Additional Information
Colorado water rights are managed under a set of laws known as the Colorado Doctrine, which outlines the key principles of the Prior Appropriation System . Water laws in Colorado (and the American West) differ from those in the eastern United States which largely follow Riparian Law . See the following links for more information on the Colorado Doctrine:
Historic Ditch Management
Cultural Resources are the tangible remains of past human activity. These may include buildings, structures, objects, districts, historic and archaeological sites, and in this particular case - ditches, canals, and associated features. These nonrenewable resources may yield unique information about past societies and environments, and provide answers for modern day social and conservation problems. Although many have been discovered and protected, there are numerous forgotten, undiscovered, or unprotected cultural resources in rural America.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) considers cultural resources in its conservation planning for the same reason it protects the natural resources — the soil, water, air, plants and animals — on private property. Keeping natural resources in balance helps provide the basis for a healthy and profitable farm environment; protecting important cultural resources provides the basis for understanding our human past. The stewardship of these nonrenewable resources is an important link in the conservation ethic that underlies the NRCS mission. Several Federal, State, and local laws have been enacted to preserve cultural resources. The most important of these is the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. Under this and other legislation, Federal agencies, including the NRCS, are required to protect important cultural resources - known as Historic Properties (see Protecting Historic Properties below).
Additional Information
Ditches Included in this Story Maps Series
The map below highlights the individual structures recorded during NRCS projects that are part of the current Story Map series. Use the map below to explore the sites; click on a feature for more information.
Irrigation Ditches and Canals
Click the links below to read about specific projects:
The Grand Tunnel Ditch
The Red Top Valley Ditch - Stillwater Diversion
The Canon Canal
The Maybell Canal
The Ninemile Canal
The Grandview Canal
The Fire Mountain Canal
The Baca-Picketwire Ditch
