Notice: Salt Mine Road Pipe Project 
The Verde ditch Commissioners recently received a grant from The Nature Conservancy to fund a badly needed project. The project is an area of the ditch that had a history of “blow outs” and water loss due to high ground saturation. Approximately 1,100 lineal feet of the ditch was converted from a leaky open ditch to a state of the art underground pipe. A local contractor was employed, Mulcair and Sons, to install the pipe. This project will eliminate any threat to flooding from a blow out, save water due to saturation and evaporation loss, and also increase velocity and pressure of the water which will assist in getting a better water flow to the end of the ditch. 
NOTICE: As a result of a Forest Service grant, we were able to automate one turnout gate which helps us manage water water levels during heavy rains, line more areas along the ditch and most important we will be replacing almost ¼ mile of old deteriorated pipe. This pipe has caused several problems in the past several years and is the most expensive part of the grant improvements. The contract for this project was awarded to a local contractor and the project as of this writing is 80% complete.
​Here the Commissioners are removing a 20" diameter pipe from a section of the ditch near Windy Point. This pipe was installed over 20 years ago and was showing it's age. It was weak from age and not completely round in many sections so it would plug up on a regular basis. As part of the Forest Service Grant replacing this over 900' section was possible. 
Now with a larger 24" diameter pipe in place that problem section of the ditch will operate much better. In addition it will flow a greater amount of water and help in delivering water to the lower section of the ditch. ​This is the beginning of the new pipe installation. The base was prepared and the new pipe was installed following a straighter line to the outlet.
​Per the Commissioners specifications the local contractor that was awarded the improvement project installed poured in place concrete headwalls and concrete apron at the inlet. The outlet was protected with large rocks.
​Another part of the grant is to narrow the ditch and line the low bank with large concrete blocks. Here a local contractor delivers 2' X 2' X 4' solid concrete blocks to the job site. The Commissioners use the Verde Ditch backhoe to unload and stock the blocks for installation. These blocks are a method we use to line areas of the ditch that have erosion issues. They weigh approximately 3,000 pounds each. Another benefit to these types of projects is we narrow the ditch and this improves water flow. As a result of these projects all along the ditch the Commissioners are able to deliver water to the lower section of the ditch more consistently throughout the year.
​The concrete blocks are "stocked" along the bank of the ditch and then installed on the low bank.
​The third part of the grant was to automate a turn out gate. This project will be undertaken during the irrigated season as it is not affected by water in the ditch.
  • The commissioners have partnered with TNC, in installing flow control gate in the upper section of the ditch. This will greatly improve the flow characteristics of the ditch and assist the commissioners in responsible water management. TNC has graciously agreed in assisting in funding this project with no commitments required from the verde ditch.  As this project progresses, we will post pictures. 
  • ​The Commissioners, in an effort to properly manage and maintain the ditch, will be undertaking a long term large scale project in clearing the bank of the ditch bank to provide access. The Commissioners are court appointed officers and are instructed by the court to maintain and operate the ditch. Per the Rules and Regulations dated August 8, 1989 the Commissioners are granted a right if usage to access the ditch at all times. In addition section 3 prohibits any structure that interferes with the Commissioners ability to access the ditch. Please help the Commissioners accomplish this in order to improve your ditch. when you see the crews please cooperate with the workers. Thank you.
​The Verde Ditch Commissioners are undertaking several larger projects during the winter maintenance period.
  1. The commissioners have replaced 2 of the 3 gates at the main head-gate structure. The remaining head-gate is decades old, leaks badly and are extremely difficult and dangerous to open and close. This will be replaced as soon as funds are available. 
  2. Extensive mowing and tree and brush cutting is being done in various sections of the ditch to improve access and reduce water consumption.
  3. In a populated part of town, we undertook a clearing project (see below).
  4. As part of a Forest Service grant we are also lining several high erosion areas of the ditch which helps water flow and reduces silt in the Verde River. Funded by the same grant we are automating one turnout gate. This will assist the Commissioners with water management during heavy rain. 
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Clearing Project
We took a section of Ditch that looked like this:
And ​cut the trees and the brush, and cleared the bank.
​Now the bank looks like this with an access road on top of the ditch:
​Next we dig a trench in the bottom of the ditch along the low side of the bank. Then we apply ABC and compact it to create a solid footer. This is what this next phase looks like:
​The next phase is we bring in concrete blocks that weigh nearly 3000 pound each and stage them on the bank of the ditch. These blocks will then be laid in the footer and will create a solid concrete wall on the bank of the ditch.
As of this posting, this project has been completed.  What these type of projects accomplish is give us access to the ditch in case there is an emergency and vastly improve the flow of the water for better delivery. A narrow, lined ditch creates more head pressure which in turn speeds the velocity of the water flow. These type of projects push the water harder, faster and further down our 18 mile long ditch.