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<br />~~" 4 <br /> <br />-" ~~" <br />J <br /> <br />WATER FOR DURANGO <br /> <br />The 1980 census found Durango's population to be about 12,000, an increase <br />of about 2,000 people in the last ten years. A moderate growth rate in the <br />future, similar to that during the 1970's, will result in a population of <br />about 21,000 in Durango and another 11,000 in the immediate vicinity (in <br />the city's water service area) by the year 2000. By the year 2020, 48,000 <br />people will live in the area served by the Dursngo water system. <br /> <br />In the future per capita water consumption will drop as conservation <br />measures are adopted by more and more Durangoans, but total demand will <br />continue to rise with the increasing population. Beginning about 1990, the <br />capabilities of the city's water system would begin to be exceeded during <br />summer months when demand is highest. The deficit would be 5.3 percent of <br />total demand in the year 2000 and 20 percent of total demand in 2020. <br /> <br />The Animas-La Plata Project would eliminate those shortagee by providing <br />the necessary storage for the city in Ridges Basin Reservoir. The city <br />would continue to divert water from the Florida River and pump from the <br />Animas River in addition to using project water. A new treatment plant <br />would be required to treat water from Ridges Baein Reservoir. <br /> <br />DURANGO I S ALTERNATIVES <br /> <br />The City of Durango has inveetigated its options for providing additional <br />storage capacity. All of the alternatives except one would cost Durangoans <br />more than the Animas-La Plata Project. Enlargement of the city reservoir <br />on the mesa (and continued use of available Florida River water and <br />existing diversion facilities) is less expensive, but can provide less <br />than a third of the needed capacity. The other alternativee also involve <br />either land use conflicts or significant engineering problems or both. The <br />other alternatives are enlargement of the city reservoir with a diversion <br />from the Animas near Tacoma; enlargement of Electra Lake; enlargement of <br />Haviland Lake; a new reservoir on Junction Creek; enlargement of the old <br />city reservoir in the Weminuche Wilderness Area; and a new reservoir in <br />Horse Gulch, south of town, that would recieve water pumped from the <br />Animas. <br />Conservation and other measures, including the use of groundwater, were <br />examined when the project was reformulated in the 1970's, but were found <br />to be insufficient to meet the total need for water. Storage ie required <br />during the dry sunmer months when demand is highest :r.d streamflows are <br />beginning to drop below critical levels. <br />