BITTER ROOT IRRIGATION DISTRICT

             1182 LAZY J. LANE   CORVALLIS, MT. 59828

                          bitterrootirrigation.org

                          

                          2007 NEWSLETTER

 

NEWS

            THE DISTRICT WELCOMES JOHN CROWLEY AS THE DISTRICT MANAGER AND BILL POSTEN AS NEW COMMISSIONER FOR DIVISION ONE. THE DISTRICT LOOKS FORWARD TO NEW PROSPECTIVES AND COMMITTMENT FROM THESE NEW ADDITIONS.

 

WATER OUTLOOK

            AS OF MARCH 1^ST, LAKE COMO IS ABOUT 60% FULL WITH A WATER ELEVATION OF 4228.0. THIS IS 30% MORE THAN THIS TIME LAST YEAR. WE WILL NEED APPROXIMATELY 15,000 ACRE FEET OF WATER TO FILL THE LAKE. WITH A SNOW PACK OF 70% OF NORMAL, THERE SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT RUNOFF FOR A FULL LAKE, DEPENDING ON HOW THE SPRING RUNOFFF OCCURS. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A GOOD IRRIGATION SEASON.

 

DISTRICT GROWTH

            THE DISTRICT ADDS 30-50 NEW WATERUSERS ALMOST EVERY YEAR AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT BECOMES MORE DIFFICULT TO DELIVER IRRIGATION WATER EACH YEAR. PLEASE REMEMBER, THE DISTRICT DELIVERS ½ MINER’S INCH OF WATER PER IRRIGATED ACRE. THIS IS EQUAL TO 5.625 GALLONS PER MINUTE, PER IRRIGATED ACRE. IF YOU IRRIGATE WITH SPRINKLERS THAT ARE CALIBRATED TO DELIVER 51/2 GALLONS PER MINUTE, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO RUN 1 SPRINKLER PER IRRIGATED ACRE.  WATER WILL NOT BE DELIVERED TO LATERALS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED. ALSO IF YOU CHANGE BOUNDARIES ON YOUR LAND THAT IS IRRIGATED OR DO ANY TYPE OF SUBDIVIDING, PLEASE CONTACT THE OFFICE TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE APPROVAL FOR PROPER WATER ALLOCATION. YOUR RESPONSE TO THIS GROWING PROBLEM MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO PROPER RECORDKEEPING, ADMINISTRATION AND DELIVERY OF WATER.

 

NEW WEBSITE

            THE DISTRICT HAS A WEB SITE THAT IS PRESENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THE WEB SITE CAN BE FOUND AT bitterrootirrigation.org IN THE FUTURE, WE WILL POST OUR ANNUAL NEWSLETTER ON THE WEB SITE FOR OUR WATERUSERS. WE ALSO WILL HAVE THE DISTRICT OPERATING POLICIES, SNOWPACK LEVEL AND LAKE ELEVATION. THE WEB SITE WILL HAVE A BULLETIN BOARD THAT WILL PROVIDE UP TO DATE INFORMATION ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE CANAL AND LAKE COMO.

 

OFFICE INFO / 2007 DITCHRIDERS

            IRRIGATION SEASON OFFICE HOURS ARE MON-FRI 8-4. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A MESSAGE ON THE ANSWERING MACHINE. THE DISTRICT PHONE # IS 961-1182.

 

            2007 DITCHRIDERS ARE:

 

            RIDE 1 – LAKE COMO TO WILLOW CREEK– ROD SACKS                            642-3216         

            RIDE 2 – WILLOW CR TO ILLINOIS BENCH– DENNIS SMITH(SMITTY)   642-3643

            RIDE 3 – ILLINOIS BENCH TO EAGLE WATCH– GREG SNEDIGAR               777-1170