Providers

Grand Valley Irrigation Providers

There are 6 major irrigation water providers serving about 85,000 acres in Western Colorado’s Grand Valley. All but one entity uses water from the Colorado River. Redlands Water and Power Company diverts its water from the Gunnison River at a point about 3 miles upstream of the confluence with the Colorado.

These providers serve a diverse group of customers ranging from small household yard and garden users to large agricultural enterprises. The irrigation season typically runs from mid-April through the end of October. These water managers must contend with many challenging conditions over the course of a season. During the runoff season, water diverted directly from the rivers often contains large amounts of debris ranging from pine needles to logs. Summer thunderstorms bring flows of colored mud and silt so thick it resembles runny pudding; and clear hot summer days make perfect conditions for moss to grow in canals and rivers. Each one of these creates ongoing challenges for water managers to keep pipes, screens, and ditches open providing uninterrupted service to approximately 60,000 water users in the Grand Valley.