It all begins with snow. Lots and lots of snow.
That snow then melts way, way up there in the high, high mountains. Taylor Park Reservoir is owned and managed by the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users.
(I don’t really know these things, but Mom does, so I’m letting Mom write this for a little bit. TLC Cai-Cai)
The melted snow, which turns into water, flows all the way down to the Blue Mesa Reservoir whereby it then flows into all the canals, which water all the farms along the way from here to there.
Uncompahgre Valley Water Users has one storage dam, several diversion dams, 128 miles of canals, 438 miles of laterals, and 216 miles of drains.
Now that Mom told you that…I’ll tell you, come to Spring. The Ditch Riders open the canal so Dad and lots of other farmers can get water onto their farms and start irrigation.
That means my days of catching mice IN the canal are over.
(Ditch riders burning the trash in the ditches)
Water—this is the life-blood and the backbone of the farm
(cleaning out the trash)
(Trash heading to the bridge on a wave of water)
Lots of muscle to keep from flooding
Through the bridge!
A Big Day is the day the canal is open!
TLC Cai-Cai