Last month, work crews were busy at the CCC Ditch headgate near Naturita, CO, harvesting materials in order to begin construction of the diversion structure. The new diversion structure will alleviate fish passage issues, will create a safer environment for recreation, and will ameliorate low-flow issues, and all without affecting a single drop of water decreed to the ditch or the historical agricultural community in the Basin. This is truly a win-all-around project. The collection of construction materials has been completed. Construction of the diversion structure modifications is slated to begin October 4th.
No project like this can occur without funding and each funder’s faith that the coalition could pull this project off. We are extremely grateful to our funding partners who have made this project possible: the Southwestern Water Conservation District, for supplying very early seed money used primarily for indispensable technical support; the Colorado Water Conservation Board, another early investor whose non-reimbursable funds have been used for everything from planning to materials harvest to construction; the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife through the Fishing is Fun program, which supported the project due to the significant benefits to fish and recreation; the Colorado Watershed Restoration Program, which provided construction funds; the Walton Family Foundation, which helped fund items associated with materials harvest and construction; and the Telluride Foundation, another early investor, whose funding helped the keep the coalition moving forward from concept to construction.