The 1902 Reclamation Act changed the landscape of the west by authorizing federal irrigation works in the western United States. Learn more about the act by clicking the DOWNLOAD link below for a PDF.
This 2005 context document by Dr. Michael Holleran is a comprehensive overview of the history of water supply systems in Colorado. It provides details on the types of historical resources that are a product of these water conveyance systems, with a particular emphasis on how to evaluate these resources for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The context begins with a detailed history of water supply systems in Colorado, from the earliest settlers in the region and continues to more recent times describing municipal water systems and other non-agricultural water use.
