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<br />....., <br />Ln <br />~ <br />..-.j <br />.~. 0 <br />: '-.;) <br /> <br />15 <br /> <br />stations and thereby increase the amount of water required to flow through <br />lower gauging points. <br />The Compact also attempts to restrict deficit deliveries so that water <br /> <br />users downstream can have a dependable water supply. The debits were intro- <br /> <br />duced to reflect the fact that during dry years it might be impossible to <br />supply the commitments at the designated points along the stream system. <br /> <br />The Compact permits a state to send down more water than is required and <br /> <br />to get credit for this excess delivery. However, it places a limit upon <br /> <br />the amount of accrued credits that either New Mexico or Colorado can obtain. <br /> <br />This avoids.the possibility that a state could build up a large credit <br />and then in subsequent years draw on this credit to fulfill the commitments <br />of the Compact without providing sufficient water for users downstream. <br /> <br />II. THE CLOSED BASIN PROJECT <br /> <br />But the Rio Grande River Compact, along with its commitments, restric- <br /> <br />tions and duties, was not the only major problem that has touched the <br />Valley during the past half century or more. The proposed Closed Basin <br />Project has also contributed to the uncertainty in the Valley. <br /> <br />The Closed Basin is that part of the San Luis Valley lying north of <br /> <br />the Rio Grande River which does not normally have a surface drainage out- <br /> <br />let. It contains approximately 2,940 square miles of the Valley's 8,000 <br />'1 15 <br />square ml es. <br /> <br />This area initially produced large amounts of spring wheat and oats. <br />However, as irrigation continued, water applied in excess of evapotrans_ <br /> <br />~.. <br /> <br />15A Re ort on Closed Basin Division, San Luis Valle <br />House Document No. 91-369, 91st Congress, Second Session <br />See Figure 1 for a map of the Closed Basin. <br /> <br />