The Delta independent., 1905-08-25
Surface Creek Reservoirs
HOW These Fertile Lands Have Been
Sysienadeally watered.

in the state of Colorado. The supply,
which is very plentiful, is stored in
large reservoirs on and around the
Grand mesa. which founs . crescent
around the upper end of this beautiful
and productive valley.
When Mr.. Zaninetti came to this
country in 1888 the only source Of water
supply was the natural flow from Sur
face and Tongue creeks and their tribu-
taries. For a number of years this
supply was sufficient to irrigate the
cultivated land which at that time was
producing alfalfa hay for cattle feeding.
As the population increased and more
land was put under cultivation, some
means had to be resorted to to increase
the supply through the latter part of
| summer.
Each spring an enormous quantity OF
water went to waste and the residents
sought some means of holding this water.
Upon examination it was found that at
the heads of the various small streams
the finest kind of reservoir sites were
to be found. These sites only required
the building of good substantial earth
dams to hold a large amount Of water.
The first reservoir project was COM
menced in 1889 by company Of local
ranchmen known rs the Surface Creek
Ditch & Reservoir company. but for
some years the progress was very slew
on account of the lack Of means. After
a few years Henry Kohler took hold of
the project and through his push and
energy the system was completed and
now has q capacity of 800. .ooo. 900 cubic
feet of water. This company owns
twenty large lakes on the Grand mesa
known as the Alexander lakes. These
lakes have been built up to hold the
above named capacity. The next large
project Of this character was under
taken by the Trickle Park Reservoir
company and for some years the same
troubles and hardships were endured by
these people Is the Surface Greek COM
pany. This system has one large reser-
voir covering little over 200 acres with
a capacity of l2O. 0oO, 900 cubic feet of
storage water.
Seeing the success Of these two en-.
terprises other local companies and pr
vate individuals began to survey and
build reservoirs with the same end m
view. This work has been progressing
rapidly and is still being pushed to
completion uutil at present there is in
the neighborhood of 200 reservoirs
which supply water to the farmers of
the valley. The stock of these COM
panies is owned by local people who
own land in this section and very little
stock can be obtained without buying
the land with it.
The principal systems Of this charAc-
ter other than those mentioned are the
Leon Lake & Reservoir Co.., Youngs
Creek Ditch 4 Reservoir company,
Grandby Ditch & Reservoir company,
Battlement Reservoir COMPANY, Cedar
Mesa Reservoir company. Weir 4 John
son reservoir and the Fruit Growers
in Hart's Basin at the lower part of
the valley. Taking these together with
the large number of smaller private
reservoirs gives the present storage
capacity for this valley at approximately
one billion cubic feet Of water. 1t Is
estimated this will run l7e cubic feet Of
water per second for sixty-Ave days,
which If all were running continuously
make good sized stream. The above
estimate shows only the extent to
which the reservoirs are now developed.
Only few Of which are completed and
several of them rre practically only
commenced, which makes It possible
for an Immense increase In the amount
Of water stored for irrigation.
This estimate does not include about
sixty-five feet Of natural flow at low
water mark, while during the spring
months the flow is 20 great that an
estlmate In impossible,