2026 GVWUA Irrigation Season Notice
Notice to Homeowners
Please review the public notice below regarding the upcoming early-season irrigation shortage.
Because our property is part of the Grand Valley Irrigation Company (GVIC) user group, this shutdown does not affect our water supply at this time. GVIC holds a senior water right and expects a full season, so our scheduled shutoff date remains October 30, 2026.
We are sharing this update so everyone stays informed about the surrounding valley conditions and the water conservation efforts underway by neighboring districts.
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Updates – August 27, 2026
This is an important public notice from the Grand Valley Water Users Association.
Due to the depletion of reservoir storage water, the Government Highline Canal will fall to a level of undeliverable flow on Thursday, September 3rd.
Effective September 3rd, all water users are strictly forbidden from utilizing any water from the system. Depleting the laterals will delay the restoration of irrigation once water becomes available again, which directly injures your neighboring users. Please be advised that unauthorized water usage during this shutdown is subject to penalties and enforcement action.
Required Actions:
Close all turnouts and Y&L structures on September 3rd, and keep them fully closed.
Assure all pumps are either fitted with a pressure valve or shut them off—we are not responsible for any private infrastructure.
Do not attempt to draw water until you receive another official notice or get direct communication from your ditchrider confirming it is clear to do so.
We appreciate your cooperation in protecting the system and your fellow irrigators as we acknowledge prior appropriations during unprecedented drought.
Water availability and delivery update August 19th
As of Sunday, August 15th, the substitution water we had been using to supplement stream flows from Williams Fork and Wolford has been depleted. We are now using the contract water we secured from QB Energy and the City of Palisade, water from Northern Water Conservancy District and Grand County, the River District, and Ute Water. This water is coming primarily from Ruedi reservoir with the Northern/Grand County water coming down from Granby.
Without significant monsoonal moisture, this will likely be the last month of supplemented water with it coming to an end around the 3rd of September. Scroll to the bottom of this update if you’re only looking for ‘action items’ for irrigators.
That means that the water in the river will be only what is ‘naturally’ there. The natural flow is predicted to be approximately 820 cfs by the 24th of this month.
What does this mean for you as a GVWUA user?
It means that prior appropriations will mandate which entity gets the majority of the water and as the junior in the Grand Valley, let me explain the hierarchy:
- Grand Valley Irrigation Company (GVIC) is the SENIOR. They will get the first 520 cfs in the river. This is important for folks who are asking ‘Why are you shutting the canal off but GVIC says they are having a full season?’ It’s because their senior water right allows them to take everything up to 520 cfs in the river and the natural flow has never gone below 520 cfs.
- Palisade Irrigation District & Mesa County Irrigation District (PID/MCID) They are next with a combined water right of 120 cfs. Their water is delivered at the head of our canal in Palisade and from Palisade to 29 Road out of our canal. You may see water in the canal up to that point. This does not mean we are prioritizing users on the east end of the valley—it means we are honoring our carriage agreements and prior appropriations by delivering water to a senior.
- Orchard Mesa Irrigation District (OMID). Their water right is 460 cfs but this is where is gets complicated. GVWUA will be diverting part of GVIC’s water right, delivering it to OMID and they will use that water to run their hydro pumps to pump their irrigation water to the top of Orchard Mesa. The pump water is returned to the river, and checked back to GVIC to satisfy their senior right. OMID is running in restriction and we have hopes that with the low river flows, we will be able to keep peach trees and vineyards alive. The District will be alternating their canals to offer ‘some’ water to all of their users.
- Grand Valley Water Users Association (GVWUA). Although the largest in the valley, our 730 cfs water right is the junior in the valley. We are the last entity to be entitled to water in the river. That doesn’t mean we are ‘out’ of water until next year once the river falls. It just means that we will likely have dry periods of little or no water availability. We have been having conversations with our partners about water availability and have high hopes that we will be able to offer water for a week or two at a time depending on how much water is in the river and if we can alternate supplies with OMID.
- GVWUA is planning on recharging the canal and laterals ASAP and will be running into November to allow for growers to get their hay crops and winter wheat watered in. The end of the season will be dictated by dropping temps, availability and demand.
FAQ’s I would like to address:
- ‘When are you shutting down the canal?’ For clarification—We aren’t. We aren’t shutting down the canal, we will be running out of water. The difference is we shut down at the end of the season due to lack of demand and beneficial use. We go dry when the supplies are exhausted and Mother Nature can’t provide what we need. This is an important distinction.
- ‘GVIC is stating they will have a full season. Why aren’t you managing the canal so we can have a full season, too?’ See the above bullets about senior water rights and prior appropriation. It’s SO important to our state to honor and PROTECT prior appropriations, even if we aren’t the senior in this situation. Most every other year, we are at the top of the food chain, which is why the Grand Valley has always had reliable water. This is an unprecedented year.
- ‘Why can’t you give us an exact date when the canal will be dry?’ Because water and nature don’t communicate in black and white like we would like. I understand how hard this is for our Ag growers as they try to plan for purchasing seed and what seed that should be, but there’s only so much we can do.
Action Items for irrigators:
- It is your responsibility to make sure your pumps are either shut off or equipped with a pressure valve. GVWUA will not be responsible for any burned up pumps due to low water availability. (This isn’t only for this year—all pumps should have a pressure valve)
- Consider watering your canopy first—keeping your trees alive is more important than grass.
- Water when its overcast or at night to minimize evaporation.
- Water deep and less often. Roots will grow DOWN instead of OUT and this will make your turf and pasture more resilient.
- Contact our local FSA office for options for commercial growers.
- Call your ditch rider for updates on delivery.
As always, I’m happy to answer more in-depth questions and am happy to take your call.
I’m grateful for our Ag community and how hard they have worked and sacrificed to crop switch, change their irrigation practices, and support our ditch riders and field crew to extend our season for everyone. They have helped keep the entire valley green with their work. Please thank them if given the opportunity!
Thank you,
Tina Bergonzini
General Manager