WSP08932

• File Number: 8131.600
• Description: Southeastern Colorado Water conservancy District - SECWCD
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 1/1/1974
• Title: Annual Report 1973 - The Future of The Arkansas Valley is Its Water - The Future of Its Water is the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

, . . "" _ 't, ,v, ,. ',';"-f.' 'i.......,,J' ,4.:'; .t":~~.~~:.1.'~~,i: ,:.....J.......:::: :", ':".'.','~'.'.'_:: .:.'~..' '.,.'..
,,::.,-,:~.r,~~~:~~~~:..:.."~J}~~.::~r~':..;~" _ _ "n ....;.-... --.. ~ -. _....., ._

preventing it entirely.
Fortunately, sufficient appropriations have been
appropriated by the Congress of the Un ited States for
continued construction on the Fryingpan-Arkansas
Project. and work progressed on Pueblo Dam; the Mt.
Elbert Pumped. Back Storage Powerplant and other
minor features of the Project; and Nast Tunnel, the
first phase of the critical Northside Collection System,
was completed in 1973, It is hoped the Congress of the
United States will authorize sufficient funds in FY
1975 to complete work on Pueblo Dam, and continue
the final phase of the Mt. Elbert Pumped. Back Storage
Powerplant. Funds will also be requested to start con-
struction on the Cunningham Tunnel-a second phase
of the Northside Collection System; and the final
phase of Hunler Tunnel - the last section of the
Southside Collection System.
Early in 1973, the United States suddenly found
itself in a very serious fuel crisis due in part to the
embargo imposed by the Arab Nations, but also to the
o\Ter-consumption of domestically produced petroleum
products. A state of emergency was declared in J une~
and the Honorable John A. Love, Governor of the
State of Colorado, was retained by the President to
head up a new Energy Office to evaluate the problem.
and to allocate fuels among priority users. The con-
tractor at Pueblo Dam was immediately affected by a
curtailment of his much.needed diesel fuel supply.
which required 300,000 gallon5 per month to maintaill
his construction schedule. The District was asked to ap-
pear before Congressional Committees hearing testi-
mony on the Subject; the newly established Regional-
Federal Energy Office, which had the responsibility of
recommending priorities; Members of Congress from
Colorado; and the Federal Energy Office itself. Greal
effort was expended to insure that top Officials under-
stood Pueblo Dam was a lllulti-purpose Dam. to include
flood control, municipal and industrial water, agricul-
ture water. recreation and other public uses. The con-
tractor did an outstanding job of working within the
Industry to obtain sufficient quantities. and increase
their onsite storage which permitted them to continue
on schedule throughout the remainder of 1973.

Officials of the United States Bureau of Reclama-
tion devoted a great deal of time during 1973 preparing
Environmental Impact Statements on specific phases
of the Project, and an over-all Environmental Impact
Statement, which are necessa[y under the National
Environmental Protection Act of 1969, before con-
struction can continue. The Bureau is placing great
emphasis in their design of Project Features on en-
vironmental enhancement and ecological protection,
as, is evidenced by the utilization of tunnels which pre-
vent the necessity for numerous construction roads,
and burring fourteen stories of a fifteen story
Pumped-Back Storage Hydroelectric Powerplant. Con.
siderable expense is being incurred by the Bureau to

11

.... .:.' ~':.';'~..'

':':) ,
r:J I
~'
00
OJ
00

..'.~'.;":').~;" "'~',.:J.~: .

protect native vegetation and esthetics. Officials from
various Agencies of the United States Government, and
many visitors, have proclaimed those portions of the
Project already completed as being excellent examples
of how Water Resource Management Projects can be
harmonized with the beautiful Colorado environment.

WATER ALLOCATION

Under the terms of its contract with the United
States of America, the Southeastern Colorado Water
Conservancy District is the Official Legal Entity re-
sponsible for the sale of Fryingpan.Arkansas Project
water to all entities .....ithin the confines of the District.
This requires that each year Officials from the Bureau
of Reclamation and the State Engineer's Office, will
determine the amount of snow run-off in the Frvingpan
Drainage which will be available to the District under
the Colorado River and Upper Colorado River Com.
pacts, and Colorado State Water La.....s. In the mean-
time, the members of the Board notify all legal entities
\\..ithin the District that Project water will be available
during the year~ and invite their requests for alloca-
tions. More often than not the requests will be nearly
double, and many times triple, the amount of water
8yailable. and it becomes the responsibility of the
Board to "Equitably Allocate" the water, in order that
maximum beneficial use might be obtained by as
many entities as possible.
The first Project water came through the Charles
H. Boustea'd Tunnel on May 16. 1972, and the District
purchased 20,000 acre. feet. of Project waler from the
Bureau of Reclamation, including some water stored
in Turquoise Lake. In 1973 the snow pack permitted
the allocation of 11,000 acre.feet to the District. and
requests were received from eleven entities for 23,322
acre-feet~ and a twelfth entity for 1,000 acre-feet of
return flow. Major water user.s. such as Cities and In.
dustries, did not exercise their right to request water.
due to the fact they realized the 11,000 acre-feet would
be required by Irrigation Companie5. Shortly after the
11,000 acre-feet were allocated, the Bureau advised
that an additional 5,000 could be available due to late
snows in the Drainage area. and even later several of
the entities in the -District released their allocated water
due to heavy precipitation in the irrigated area. By the
end of 1973, the District had sold and delivered 10,748
acre-feet, and during the November Board meeting
Officers of several Irrigation Companies advised the
availability of Project water late in the growing season
meant the difference between a good crop and possible
disaster.
The Project water is purchased from the United
~tates Government under an Interim Contract \I,:ith the
United States of America, and all monies so p.lid are
credited toward the over-all Repayment Contract be-
tween the District and the United States. In 1973 the
District paid $157,918,00 reoresenting 2/10ths of a mill
on the assessed valuation of the District in 1 Q72: amI

12

.....:-,,..