A basic orientation to the Swede for water users on the ditch.
Basic Information re: the Swede Ditch
Annual Meeting - 2026 TBD
The Annual Meeting for the Swede Ditch is generally held in March. Watch your Annual assessment and dues invoice for information. (This is typically mailed 10-7 days before the meeting.) Meetings are often held at the Hygiene United Methodist Church, during the working hours, Monday-Friday.
Voting Proxy
Voting at the Annual Meeting requires a proxy if you cannot attend the meetings in order to have a quorum for voting to happen.
Here is a downloadable proxy to send in or send along with a neighbor.
Shareholders & Quorums
We have 992 shares on the ditch, and 59 certificates. Voting is by certificate: one certificate, one vote. A certificate with 10 shares has a vote of 10/992.
A quorum is necessary for productive annual meetings and voting in new initiatives.
Current Board Members
The current board members for the Swede Ditch Company are:
Kay Clements - President
Andy Pelster - Vice President
Tina Toll - Treasurer and Secretary
Ditch Rider
We are blessed to have Bryan Rafferty as our ditch rider. He keeps our ditch maintained and makes sure we get our water. To put in a call for water, once there’s water in the Swede, you will want to call him at 720-987-6418.
Assessments & Dues
Annual assessments and dues are sent out in late February-early March. For billing, payment, and late fee information, contact the Swede Ditch Company directly. The annual meeting date/time/location is also referenced on your invoice.
DWR Website
The Colorado Department of Natural Resources site for monitoring water flow on various drainages is here.
You can click on the Swede and see some detail on historical flow
The Swede Ditch Company’s Contact Information:
The Swede Ditch Company Mailing Address
P.O. BOX 95
Hygiene, CO 80533-0095
The Swede Ditch Company Phone Number
303-776-7130
"Water links us to our neighbor in a way more profound and complex than any other."
— John Thorson