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<br />...' . <br />f" ' "~.pV <br /> <br />... <br /> <br />OOiJ937 <br /> <br />San Luis valley Flood Problems <br /> <br />Over the past years the Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />has validated the use of irrigation ditches in the San Luis <br />Valley in flood control efforts by diverting water from the Rio <br />Grande above the communi ties of Monte Vista and Alamosa. In <br />1985 for example, when peak flows at Del Norte registered 9,040 <br />cfs the irrigat ion company canals were able to divert as much <br />as 3,500 cfs from the Rio Grande. This action delivered the <br />water for the use of the irrigators. which resulted in a <br />substantial flood control benefit to the Valley communities. <br /> <br />During the Spring of 1987. when predictions of high run-off <br />from abnormally high snow pack at the headwaters of the Rio <br />Grande were issued. the agricultural areas in the Valley were <br />already fully saturated and consequently there was little or no <br />demand for water to be diverted from the Rio Grande through the <br />irrigation canals. If the water was diverted, severe flood <br />damage to the crop lands which the ditches serve would occur. <br /> <br />The irrigation companies proposed an immediate program of <br />repair and rehabilitation of the drainage systems leading east <br />from the irrigated area into the Closed. Basin, The <br />reconstruction of these drains would permit the water currently <br />sarurating the fields to be drained inro the sump to the east <br />which. in turn, would permit the diversion of additional flows <br />from the river. <br /> <br />Private interests in the valley spent over $25,000 in an <br />attempt to open the drains while the irrigation district <br />allocated $15,000 to this ~ffort as well. In addition, the U.S. <br />Bureau of Reclamation. which is constructing the Closed Basin <br />Water Salvage Project contributed men and equipment. In a "last <br />ditch effort" to get the inicial drains open. on May II, 1987, <br />the irrigation district requested emergency assistance from the <br />Division of Disaster Emergency Services (DODES) in the form of <br />a $25,000 request for funds. The funds request was to continue <br />the team of back hoes and men working long hours in advance of <br />the approaching flood peak prediction. <br /> <br />On June 4, 1987, Gov~rnor Romer declared a state of <br />emergency based on the imminent threat of flooding on the Rio <br />Grande River and authorized $25,000 in State assistance to <br />permit the continuation of work by the irrigation district with <br />coordination of all funds through Alamosa County. The cleaning <br />of the drains continued and during the peak discharges this <br />year, large amounts of water were diverted. <br /> <br />The emergency operation was a success In many ways. [t has <br />been reported that the farmers are happy due to the fact that <br />the opened drains have lowered the water table in some areas to <br />the extent that they can now grow an Alfalfa crop. PreviOUSly <br /> <br />3922E <br /> <br />j <br />