Marshallville Ditch

Established: June 1 1865

Priority Number: 14

Acres under ditch: 2275 originally

Water Source: South Boulder Creek

The Marshallville Ditch is used mainly for agriculture today, growing hay, alfalfa, grain and pasture grass. 10 Shares of the ditch were bought by the city of Louisville and transferred out of the ditch into the Louisville treatment system. The ditch is also used to fill Teller Lakes.

Early shareholders of the Marshallville Ditch include some well known names in Boulder: Tim Shanahan (Shanahan Ridge), Albert Viele (Viele Lake), and Margaret Dunn (Dunn-DeBacker house near the Mesa Trail). Other early shareholders included O. C. Coffin, Thomas Barnes, William Grossbeck, Robert Montgomery, Simon McGann, and H. S. McGilvery.

Colorado’s entire water system has always been based on a specific measured amount of water going to each user. However, at first there was not an accurate way to measure water. In 1922 Ralph Parshall invented a simple measuring flume that changed everything. Over the next decade, the State Engineer began requiring that all ditches in Colorado install measuring flumes. These documents outline the Marshallville’s compliance with that requirement.

Map courtesy of Carnegie Branch Library of Local History. Stock Certificate and minutes courtesy of Marshallville Ditch Company.