WSP10064

• File Number: 8112.600
• Description: Arkansas White Red Basins Interagency Committee - AWRBIAC -- Reports
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 4/1/1977
• Title: Technical Memorandum -- Activity 3 Phase II -- Specific Problem Analysis - 1975 National Assessment -- Arkansas-White-Red Region Part 1 of 2
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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The dissolved solids of these groundwaters exceed approved standards
for municipal uses. Chemical analysis of the water supplies at La
Junta and Las Animas showed .that the dissolved solids at these two
municipalities were 1,660 ppm and 2,850 ppm respectively.

Problem Issues:

Water Quantity. The water supply in the area is.in~ufficient
to meet the requirements. There are 380,200 acres of 1rr1gated crop..
land which requires an average annual withdrawal of 1,425.7 M.G.D.
for a supp supply (4.20 feet). The average annual supply has been
1,061.9 M.G.D., which includes 151.8 M.G.D. of groundwater pumpe~ from
the Arkansas River Alluvium. Thus, the average annual shortage 1S
363.8 M.G.D. (25.5 percent). The Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, when
operational in about 1985, will alleviate the shortage in the average
amount of 132.1 M.G.D. Indicative of the severity of the shortage of
water supply is a study of the total ditch diversion from the Arkansas
River to 330,000 acres of cropland, which showed that 50 percent of the
time. Diversions were 795 M.G.D., or a 20 percent shortage, and 10 per-
cent of the time, they were 503 M.G.D., for a 50 percent shortage. Dur-
ing years of normal streamflow there are frequently shortages late in
the irrigation season.

The water supply of the small municipal systems and the valley
water districts in the Arkansas River valley are insufficient to
adequately meet the requirements. The withdrawal of water for
domestic uses in the area is about 7.1 M.G.D. and the requirement
is 9.8 M.G.D. The problem is that La Junta, Lamar, Las Animas
and Rocky Ford have more than adequate water supply, while a great
many of the small villages and wster districts are delivering less
than 100 gallons per day per capita. The importation of 8.6 H.G.D.
by the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project is more than enough water to re-
place the present poor quality water and meet the area needs. How-
ever, it may be physically impossible to economically deliver the
imported water to some villages.

The low flows in the streams in the fall and during dry periods
are insufficient to sustain fisheries. There is a severe shortage
of water areas for water-based hunting, fishing and recreation. The
present need is 39,000 acres of water area in ASA 1102 and projected
to be 53,000 acres in 2000. The Fryingpa~-Arkansas Project and
John Martin Reservoir will provide an additional 9,500 water acres
for recreation uses. Existing privately owned irrigation reservoirs
have the capacity to meet these needs; however, their water levels
fluctuate and they, for the most part, do not maintain permanent
pools. The problem is to develop permenent pools for public use
in these private irrigation reservoirs through purchase of water
and cooperative agreements.

Water Quality. The quality of water in the Arkansas River
deter[orates progressively downstream below Pueblo from lack of
streamflow for dilution of irrigation return flows. The high salt

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