Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />-15- <br /> <br />non-beneficial consumptive use and reducing or eliminating <br /> <br />the losses from the free water surfaces and wet soils, the <br /> <br />water thus saved can be theoretically collected and diverted <br /> <br />to a beneficial consumptive use. A realistic determination <br /> <br />of the amount of water that can be reasonably salvaged is <br />necessary. Obviously, if the water is not available, the <br />major purpose of the development would be defeated. <br /> <br />Water supply to the Closed Basin is derived largely <br /> <br /> <br />from snowfall on the high watersheds above the 8,000-foot <br /> <br />elevation and from limited snow and rain on the Valley floor. <br /> <br />The Bureau of Reclamation reports that the definable inflow <br /> <br />to the Closed Basin for the period 1936 through 1960 averaged <br /> <br />as follows: <br /> <br />Source <br /> <br />Acre-Feet <br /> <br />Natural Streams <br /> <br />258,600 <br />11,000 <br />60,000 <br /> <br />Springs <br /> <br />Artesian Wells <br /> <br />Man-made Diversions from <br />the Rio Grande <br /> <br />287,300 <br /> <br />TOTAL <br /> <br />616,900 acre-feet/yr. <br /> <br />Of this total, an average of 263,952 acre-feet per year <br /> <br />was estimated by the U.S.B.R. to be available in the Closed <br /> <br />Basin for salvage. There may be some argument with these <br /> <br /> <br />values since various studies made by the Bureau of Reclama- <br /> <br />tion and the Geological Survey for the establishment of an <br /> <br />inflow-outflow balance indicate considerably more precipita- <br /> <br />Hon and flow into the Bas:j.n than can be accounted forC'~U 399 <br /> <br /> <br />- <br />