GVDD History

Before the Grand Valley Drainage District was established, 5 major canal systems and many miles of lateral ditches were built across the Grand Valley to deliver irrigation water to each farmer. Water seeped from these unlined canals and ditches  into the land under crops, orchards and homes.  In some places the water table was only 3 feet under the surface of the ground.

In September of 1915, the Grand Valley Drainage District was organized as a division of local government in Colorado. The District is authorized by the Colorado State Statutes in Title 37, Article 31.  The District is governed by an elected board with three Board of Director members.  The district started work to alleviate seepage and flooding problems in the Grand Valley.

All work done within the district between 1915 and 1922 was done by the Bureau of Reclamation. In 1928, the district began to acquire its own equipment and hire employees to maintain the ditches.  In 1923, the name of the district was changed to Grand Junction Drainage District and the funding structure was changed to a property tax mill levy.  Currently, the district employs up to 12 people for operating  and maintaining the ditches.  The administration support staff totals 5 people plus two mechanics to take care of the vehicles and equipment.

After more than 90 years, the land use changed in many ways.  the residents within the District believed that only the property within the city limits were benefiting.  The district's service area includes the lands from Palisade to Loma on the North side of the Colorado.  It became apparent that a better name for the District would be Grand Valley Drainage District.  So in January 2008, the District's name was again changed.  We think that changing the name back to GRAND VALLEY DRAINAGE DISTRICT better reflects the area served and persons and property benefitting from the District's systems.