FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
The first share owned by each shareholder is designated as an A share. Any additionally owned shares are B shares. There is no difference between an A or B share with regard to the water right that is granted. Rather, an A share is assessed, or billed, annually at a higher rate than a B share.
Yes. Renting water grants the same right to water use as owning water does.
GVIC water rights are not attached to the land, and can be bought, sold, and moved elsewhere within the GVIC system. In order to sell shares, there are three primary requirements: (1) The annual assessment for that year must be paid in full (even if only a portion of the owned shares are being sold), (2) the stock certificate must be physically present in our office, and (3) a transfer fee of $30.00 must be paid per each new stock certificate. Please click for further details on this process, including additional paperwork that may be required in certain situations.
The annual water assessment is sent out in early January and payment is due in full by April 1 in order to avoid an interest charge.
One share of GVIC water is approximately 4.6 gallons per minute. This is a direct flow right, not a storage right. For further information, please see our Water Rights page.
To “turn out” water means to administratively assign one or more shares of water to a particular headgate on the system where the water is intended to be used. Find out where your shares are currently turned out.
Canal Facilities
No, GVIC adopted a no trespass policy for its facilities in 1988, and the Bylaws of the Company strictly limit the use of the facility to irrigation-related purposes.
The canals are inherently unsafe for the public. Drownings occur in the canals of the Grand Valley nearly every year. The policy also protects the employees of the Company, so that they can conduct routine operations and maintenance without risk to members of the public.
Furthermore, the vast majority of the land underlying the GVIC canal system is owned by private landowners. A no trespass policy serves to protect these private property rights, as well as the private property rights of GVIC. The facilities of the canal, to include the ditches, rights-of-way, roads, bridges, headgates, and other structures of the facility are all real property owned by GVIC, and unauthorized use of them can be charged as misdemeanor trespass under State law.
Before commencing any construction or alterations near the canal system, it is best to first contact our office to ascertain the location of the canal easement. Doing so will ensure that you are not encroaching into the easement, which would result in having to move the fence/structure and rebuild it in the proper location.
The GVIC canal system is protected by easements along the entirety of its length. Many of these easements can be found on recorded documents, while others exist by prescriptive right. The best course of action is to contact our office directly so we can assist you in ascertaining where the easement lies.
Other
Once the water leaves the canal easement area and enters a lateral, responsibility for conveyance, operation, maintenance, and stewardship falls to the shareholder(s) of that particular lateral.
Water levels in the canals and laterals can fluctuate. To avoid water pump damage, water users should consider installing a low-pressure cutoff switch. The cost of a cutoff switch is minimal when compared to new pump replacement.
Normal water delivery is from April 1 to October 31, depending upon demand and climatic conditions. See our Notification Center on the home page to find more precise dates for this year’s irrigation season.
We currently do not accept cards, but we are able to take cash or check. Click here for our office location and hours of operation in order to pay in-person or by mail.
Annual Water Availability
We anticipate water turning on April 1, 2024 and continuing through October 31. Please allow approximately a week for the canal to fill.
Based on Climatic Conditions and Demand
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