GRAND COUNTY WATER

Last summer I wanted to hike to the headwaters of the Colorado River, which are right here in Grand County in Rocky Mountain National Park.  To get to the headwaters, I had to walk along the Grand Ditch for the last 2 miles.  The above pictures are mine.  The Grand Ditch is 14.3 miles long and owned by the Water Supply and Storage Company and it is located in Rocky Mountain National Park.  Construction began in 1894 by Japanese crews who used hand tools and black powder and the first water flowed east in 1890.  After Rocky Mountain National Park was created (1915), Long Draw Reservoir was also created and the Grand Ditch was lengthened in 1936.  This required an act of Congress because the ditch was in a National Park.  The Grand Ditch diverts water from the Colorado River (formerly the Grand River Valley).  It intercepts about 1/3 of the surface watershed from the Never Summer Range (see picture in slideshow to show how much water is being delivered to the western watershed).  It significantly impacts the ecology in the valley below and the National Park Service has fought in court to reduce the amount of diverted water.  It delivers 20,000-acre feet of water to the eastern plains.  Be sure to check out the current news section for information regarding a breach in 2003 that occurred and the National Park Service’s fight.