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Show Alpine Irrigation Company is medium sized ( irrigating some 1,750 acres) located near American Fork, Utah County ( Haws, 1973). Early settlers in this area used water from Dry Creek and Fort Canyon for irrigation, watering livestock, and domestic purposes. Prior to 1877, Lehi City and the town of Alpine built systems of ditches and diversion works in order to use water from Dry Creek. The community organized and incorporated the Alpine Irrigation Company in 1880 ( Company records- State Engineers Office). At first water was divided on the basis of primary and secondary rights between four major ditches; Fort Ditch, North Ditch, West Field Ditch, and East Field Ditch. These shares were distributed as follows: Primary shares Fort Ditch North Field East Field West Field Alpine City, Fort Ditch Secondary shares North Field East Field Field Ditch West Field Highland Bench 318 shares 137 shares 479 shares 420 shares 50 shares 42 shares 151 shares 10 shares 11072 shares 212 shares Primary rights were established when a person ( a) diverted and used unappropriated water of any stream, watercourse, lake spring, or other natural source of supply, or ( b) had " the open, peaceable, uninterrupted and continuous use of water for a period of seven years." Secondary rights were established, " subject to the perfect and complete use of the primary right," ( a) when all water from any natural source had been appropriated and used by prior appropriators for parts of a year only, and subsequent appropriations had been made of all or part of the water during any other part of the year; ( b) when the average seven years flow of water had been appropriated, and other persons thereafter appropriated an increase over the average flow. On December 5, 1889, Lehi Irrigation Company entered into an agreement with the Alpine Irrigation Company under which Alpine received one half of all the water of Dry Creek during April, May, June, and July up to and including the 10th of July each year. During the remainder of the year, Alpine Irrigation Company was entitled to all of the waters of Dry Creek. Alpine also enjoyed the total flow of Grove Creek throughout the whole year. A court decree of July 14, 1893, gave the North Bench Irrigation Company two thirteenths of the rights of Alpine Irrigation Company during the months of April, May, and June. North Bench was given no right during July, August, and September. Then, during October, November, December, January, February, and March of each year North Bench Irrigation Company was given one fourth of the right of Alpine Irrigation Company. This division of the total flow continues to be the basis of distribution among the three companies. All ditches in the system are filled to capacity during spring runoff. As flow diminishes, distribution is made on the basis of total shares ( both primary and secondary). At the point when total flow diminishes to 14 cfs all secondary shares are eliminated. During the hot summer months when Fort Creek carries only a minimal stream, the supply is supplemented by a flow from Dry Creek, which holds up fairly well until late July or early August. The following diligence claims have been filed on water rights which were in use before 1903. Claim 797 Dry Creek: North Field Ditch and Fort Ditch Use Irrigation 27 sec. ft. from 1 April to 31 Oct. Stock 3 sec. ft. from 1 Nov. to 31 March Construction began: 1852 Water first used: 1852 Claim 798 Dry Creek: West Field Ditch Use Irrigation 30 sec. ft. from 1 April to 31 Oct. Stock 2 sec. ft. from 1 Nov. to 31 March Claim 799 Dry Creek: East Field Ditch Use Irrigation 40 sec. ft. from 1 April to 31 Oct. Stock 2 sec. ft. from 1 Nov. to 31 March Claim 800 Dry Creek: High Bench Ditch Use Irrigation 25 sec. ft. from 1 April to 31 Oct. Stock 2 sec. ft. from 1 Nov. to 31 March Claim 801 Grove Spring Stream ( tributary to Dry Creek) Use Irrigation 6.99 sec. ft. from 1 April to 31 Oct. Stock 2 sec. ft. from 1 Nov. to 31 March Claim 802 Fort Canyon Creek: Carlisle Ditch Use Irrigation 6 sec. ft. from 1 April to 31 Oct. Stock 1 sec. ft. from 1 Nov. to 31 March Carlisle Ditch is classified as a " high water" ditch, that is, when Fort Creek flows in excess of 16 cfs, users of Carlisle Ditch may divert the excess to a total of 3 cfs. There are two exceptions to the rule. First, " the 3 cfs rule is exceeded when the water flowing in 78 |
