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County leaders press for federal help to pipe aging irrigation canals, cite WaterSMART grants
Summary
Montezuma County commissioners and agricultural stakeholders discussed drought resilience and the high seepage losses in century-old canals; representatives said WaterSMART and Bureau of Reclamation programs have been slow but necessary for lining and piping projects.
Local water users told Congressman Jeff Hurd that many irrigation canals and ditches in Montezuma County are more than a century old and lose substantial water to seepage, and they asked for federal funding and technical support to modernize channels.
Gerald (a local irrigation stakeholder) said seepage losses range from roughly 10% to 30% on some canals. County participants said two projects funded through Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART grants had a combined cost near $7 million for tail…
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