Laserfiche WebLink
<br />c~s <br /> <br />headwaters to Lake Powell. Navajo Dam was constructed between 1958 and 1963 and Navajo <br />Reservoir extends into both Colorado and New Mexico. Navajo Reservoir has a capacity of 1.7 <br />million acre-feet, a surface area of 15,610 acres, and 150 miles of shoreline. Approximately 225 <br />miles of the San Juan River are between Nav~o Dam and Lake Powell. <br /> <br />Historically, Navajo Reservoir was operated to provide water storage and control San Juan River <br />flows. Since 1962, it has been operated in a manner that reduced peak spring flows and <br />supplemented flows in other seasons. Flows were generally near or above 1,000 cfs during the <br />early operation years. Since 1992, a minimum flow of 500 cfs has been maintained and high <br />spring releases or peak flows (5,000 cfs) have been provided to support the SJRBRIP for <br />endangered fish. <br /> <br />Resources and Impacts <br /> <br />The major tributary to the San Juan in the project area is the Animas River which joins the riVer <br />at Farmington. The primary water source for both rivers are the San Juan and LaPlata Mountains <br />in Colorado. South of the San Juan River, the region is characterized by desert topography; <br />broad dry washes carry significant sediment loads during periodic thunderstorm events. The <br />project area is semi-arid to arid; the major part of the basin is less than 6,000 feet in elevation and <br />receives less than 8 inches of precipitation annually. Vegetation ranges from pinon-juniper areas <br />around Navajo Reservoir to desert shrubs and grasses around the lower San Juan River. The San <br />Juan River corridor supports riparian species such as cottonwood trees, willow, and non-native <br />salt cedar and Russian olive. <br /> <br />Major towns and communities include Farmington at the confluence with the Animas; and <br />Bloomfield, Blanco, and Archuleta upstream and Fruitland, Shiprock, Bluff, Utah, and Mexican <br />Hat, Utah, downstream from Farmington. Energy development, agriculture, and tourism and <br />recreation are important industries in the area. In particular, agriculture and recreation are closely <br />related to Navajo Reservoir and its release patterns in the San Juan River. <br /> <br />Bluff and Mexican Hat are tourism and recreation dependent, mostly involving rafting and <br />cultural visitation. These two activities, in many cases, occur as a result of each other. People <br />visit the area to participate in one activity and end up enjoying the bther. <br /> <br />There are diversion structures for irrigation, municipal, and industrial uses of water both <br />upstream and downstream from Farmington and these diversions support a large segment of the <br />local and regional economy. The water rights for these diversions total approximately 230 cfs, <br />but these rights have not been administered c1osely.in the past. A significant trout fishery exists <br />for approximately 7 miles downstream from Navajo Dam with fishing extending downstream to <br />at least the Hammond Diversion, 15 miles from the dam. A commercial-guide industry has <br />developed around the fishery, with guided "walk and wade" trips and float-fishing trips. The city <br />of Farmington owns and operates the Navajo Hydropower facility at Navajo Dam. <br /> <br />6 <br />