Everyone in the valleys of the Upper Gunnison River watersheds who love our rivers and streams probably has a favorite place for seeing the work of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District — although we might not know that is what we are seeing. One of my favorite places for this is in the Gunnison Whitewater Park at the first manmade “rapid” for recreational boaters. The District worked with Gunnison County to put that project together, and acquired the 2003 “recreational in-stream” water right for the park.
That first rapid, however, was created where it is in order to raise the level of the river to the headgate for the “75 Ditch.” The ditch, diverted in 1875 to irrigate Alonzo Hartman’s ranch, has the oldest water right in the entire Gunnison River Basin. This means the oldest water right in the valley is linked constructively with one of the newest.
Between them lies the valley’s ever-changing history, including the 65-year history of the water district. The mission of the District is “to be an active leader in all issues affecting the water resources of the Upper Gunnison River Basin.” The District has done this in creative, but often subtle ways like the example above, helping carry our past forward into our emerging future.
Consider the Taylor River: as beautiful a mountain stream as you will find anywhere. Iit looks and runs like a natural river today thanks to the District. In the 1930s, the U.
S. Bureau of Reclamation built the Taylo.
