Irrigation Canals

Irrigation ditches own water rights. The FHL, Croke and Church ditches deliver water seasonally from Clear Creek to Standley Lake (in Westminster). In addition, the FHL and Church continue past Standley Lake.

Google Maps has some of the ditches mapped and labeled. 

Each irrigation ditch is an independent company. Individuals and municipalities own water shares that are delivered by the company.

Stormwater ditches are swales that receive storm runoff from your neighborhood and direct the water to the nearest natural stream, such as Little Dry Creek or Ralston Creek. 

If you are an adjacent landowner, the vegetation (including trees) along the ditch is your responsibility. Neither ditch company nor municipalities generally own the land under and along the ditch. Instead, the canal companies have prescriptive easements, which allow them to dictate the use of the land within the easement. The ditch companies prioritize removal of trees and vegetation that impede water flow. The rest is up to you. 

Please do not throw anything in the ditches, even grass clippings. Never throw dog poop in the ditch. Keep in mind that the ditches are a vital water source, and you or someone downstream may drink this water (after treatment). Yard waste left piled on the ditch banks tend to promote sloughing of the banks by trapping moisture underneath. 

No, not unless you have purchased shares in that ditch company and are a recognized shareholder. Using the water without owning shares is considered water theft.