How do small-acreage landowners determine their available irrigation water?
A. There is no one answer for how to determine the available irrigation water for a small acreage. If there is ditch water running through the property, the amount of irrigation water depends on the number of shares that are owned, the allocation per share, and whether or not the ditch delivers the full quota for the year. Also, the property’s location on the ditch may affect when the water is available. To find out water availability, the landowner needs to contact the ditch company and ask for specific details on the property location and ditch. If ground water is pumped from a well, the amount available is the well discharge multiplied by time of pumping. It is important to contact the groundwater information desk at the Colorado Division of Water Resources to find out the details of a specific well decree. In dry years, the water table may drop below the pump intake and a person may not be able to irrigate.
