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Best Management Practices |
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BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR DITCH COMPANIES (1/2 Day)
Please Contact DARCA at (970) 412-1960 for more information on scheduling this on-site workshop. All 1/2 day workshops are $500.
YOUR DITCH AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
The state of Colorado
has experienced great increases in its population, especially in the
last few decades. Created by the federal government in 1861, the
Colorado Territory began with 26,000 inhabitants; today, the population
has grown to nearly 4.5 million.
Many of the existing
irrigation ditches were carved into the pristine landscape during the
early years of settlement. The pioneers who planned, designed, and
built these ditches made possible irrigated agriculture in our state,
fueling the development of prosperous communities throughout Colorado.
In economic terms, the highest and best use of the land became not that
of the cultivation of crops but rather for urban development. As a
result, communities were built along irrigation ditches and existing
ditch companies became acquainted with their new neighbors. Ditch
companies have experienced unfortunate consequences by virtue of
running their water through the urban setting. The access to these
ditches has been compromised, neighbors complain of seepage problems,
safety concerns need to be addressed – all have increased the cost of
doing business in the urban environment.
This workshop will
address the issues that ditch companies face in dealing with their
urban neighbors. The goal of the workshop is to start the process of
developing DARCA best management practices for ditch companies on a
statwwide level. As an illustration, when ditch companies are involved
in litigation over issues such as what is the reasonable width of their
easement or what does it mean to keep a ditch in good repair, the
courts may hear testimony from experts and determine these issues on an
ad hoc basis. Unfortunately, there is no definitive resource, be it a
manual or otherwise that details what constitutes good operating
practices or what is the standard for Colorado ditches in the operation
and maintenance of their facilities. Other industries have adopted good
operating or best management practices but Colorado ditch companies
have yet to collaboratively define and synthesize their own practices.
One goal of the workshop is to help ditch companies provide a better
and less costly defense for themselves if they are ever a party to a
lawsuit with one of their urban neighbors.
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Other Workshops 
