DeWeese-Dye Ditch and Reservoir Company
In 1896, Dall DeWeese and C.R.C. Dye incorporated the DeWeese-Dye Ditch and Reservoir Company to bring water from Grape Creek to the 1,500 acres of land they were developing with 200,000 fruit trees and 500,000 shade trees in Lincoln Park, just south of Canon City, Colorado. Today, water from DeWeese-Dye Ditch and Reservoir Company continues to irrigate lands and growers in Lincoln Park — serving properties located below the ditch from Grape Creek Drive to Brookside.
DeWeese-Dye Ditch water comes from the Grape Creek drainage in the, Westcliffe and South Colony area of Custer County, southwest of Canon City. In addition to direct flow rights on Grape Creek, we store water for our use in DeWeese Reservoir, unlike other ditch companies in the Canon City area that take water directly from the Arkansas River.
After leaving the reservoir, water is diverted from Grape Creek (approximately a mile above the confluence with the Arkansas River) into our system, where it flows about seven miles through open ditch, pipes, tunnels and siphons, providing water for the three small reservoirs located in Lincoln Park. The small reservoirs are filled during the night and the water is released to the various divisions below each reservoir during the day. In the evening, the water is directed back to the reservoirs and the cycle begins again. The water travels approximately thirty hours from the DeWeese Reservoir to the diversion point on Grape Creek, then another four hours to reach 9th Street.
Watch the video below, shot at Lake DeWeese near Westcliffe, CO, showing the 2015 Spring runoff.
The DeWeese Board of Directors would like to share some information with our Shareholders with regard to the Dawson Gold mining operation, in an effort to clarify and misunderstandings with regard to DeWeese water. Dawson Gold mining has made arrangements with the UAWCD and have purchased 3 AF of water. Dawson Gold is reporting their water to the Water Commissioner on a daily basis, and is accounting for their usage. Water is being released on behalf of Dawson in accordance with their agreement through UAWCD. Dawson IS NOT using DeWeese water, they are only using the water they have purchased through UAWCD. The mining company is using around 9,000 gallons a day, there is 326,000 gallons in 1 AF. We hope this will clarify any confusion about the source of Dawson’s water, and will provide Shareholders with added comfort in knowing our water is not being used other than the intended purpose for Shareholders.
Thank you all for everything you do in helping protect our valuable natural resource!
~The DeWeese Dye Ditch & Reservoir Company Board of Directors