WSP08574

• File Number: 8141.100
• Description: Fryingpan-Arkansas Project - Project Description
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Date: 1/1/1969
• Author: US DoI BoR
• Title: Flood Control Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Eastern Slope Features
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Project Overview

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96. BENEFITS FROM INCREASED LAND UTILIZATION.- Crop production
in the Arkansas valley is dependent on irrigation. Expansion of irri-
gated agriculture is not possible without provision of additional water
supply by some means such as interbasin diversions. Although the
Fryingpan-Arkansas Project will make about 69,200 acre-feet of ad-
ditional water available annually, no additional land will be brought
under cultivation. The additional supply will be used to firm up sup-
plies to areas already under irrigation. Although some change in crop
patterns is expected in the valley, these changes primarily will be a
consequence of the improved water supply. In consideration of the
foregoing and also the lesser effect Pueblo Reservoir will have on flood
frequencies downstream from Fountain Creek, there would be no significant
benefits to rural development from changed land use as a result of in-
clusion of flood control storage in the project. Likewise, urban land
values would reflect little^~haneement by the project. The city of
Pueblo already enjoys a high ,degree of protection as will Las Animas
upon construction of the authorized local protection project. Further-
more, La Junta and also Las Animas are located at the lower end of the
area that would sustain flood reduction benefits from the project.
Flood frequencies would not be reduced in this area sufficiently to
exert any measurable influence on land values.

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97. INTANGIBLE BENEFITS.- ,The intangible benefits which would
be realized as the result of additional flood protection would include
prevention of 10sS,.,of human life, reduction of hazards to health, en-
hancement of public security, and prevention of the interruption of
normal community activities including"business operations.

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98. NEGATIVE BENEFITS.- Acquisition of re31 estate for the proj-
ect would remove,some agri~ultVQ'al land from tax rolls. However, these
tax losses would be offset by the increased tax returns from protected
property downstream from the dam. There would also be evaporation
losses from stored floodwaters;'''' These losses are an economic cost to
be accounted for "in determination_of total project costs.

SUMMARY

99. SUMMARY.- The annual flood control benefits attributable to
operation of Pueblo Reservoir for flood control in accordance with plan
of regulation prescribed in paragraph 41 are estimated at $743,700 based
on price levels prevailing during June 1967 and 93,000 acre-feet of
flood storage space.

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