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<br />fv1 Q'-L I q &':2. <br /> <br />(:,:) <br />,-;) <br />,") <br />'.-l <br />,-:J <br /> <br />In November, the Bureau of Reclamation will be asking the Rio Grande Water <br />Conservation District and the State of Colorado Water Conservation Board for <br />concurrence for the start of Stage 3 Canal and Lateral construction, as <br />required by Section 101 (b) of Public Law 92-514 (86 Stat. 964), the authorizing <br />legislation, as amended by Public Law 96-375 (94 Stat. 1507). <br /> <br />~~..., <br />..,,,.... <br /> <br />Our plan of development provides for stage construction of project features over <br />an 8 year period and provides assurance to local and State of Colorado interests <br />that pumping of the shallow ground water will not adversely affect ground water <br />conditions in the valley. <br /> <br />The Definite Plan Report, page B-6, gives a range of 22,000 to 30,000 acre-feet <br />per year, ground water yield estimate for Stage 3. Completion of test wells in <br />Stage 3 showed that this stage will produce about 37,000 acre-feet per year. <br /> <br />Our well spacing model and Geologic Survey's computer model shows pumping Stage <br />1-2 at 13,143 acre-feet per year, and Stage 3 at 37,000 acre-feet per year will <br />not violate any boundary conditions as required by the amended legislation. <br /> <br />Article III of the Rio Grande Compact states: "In the event any works are <br />constructed after 1937 for the purpose of delivering water into the Rio Grande <br />from the Closed Basin, Colorado shall not be credited with th~ amount of such <br />water delivered, unless the portion of sodium ions shall be less than 45 percent <br />of the total positive ions in that water when the total dissolved solids in such <br />water exceeds 350 parts per million." <br /> <br />Based on water samples from approximately twelve (12) salvage wells and four <br />(4) test wells, in Stage 3, the unconfined ground water has a combined mixed <br />total dissolved solids content of 318 parts per million (ppm) and a combined <br />mixed sodium ion conconcentration of 45 percent of the total positive ions. <br />This water quality is well within Article III of the Rio Grande Compact require- <br />ments. <br /> <br />Our salvage well water quality mixing model shows no problem with water quality <br />when blending Stages 1-2, 3, 4, and 5 water. Please refer to the water quality <br />sheets for mixing results. <br /> <br />Using the information from Stages 4 & 5 Pump Test Wells, we have completed our <br />well spacing for these stages. Stage 4 will require about 42 wells and will <br />produce about 31,000 acre-feet of ground water per year. <br /> <br />Stage 5 will require about 25 wells and will produce about 14,000 acre-feet of <br />ground water per year. <br /> <br />Stages 1-2, 3, 4, and 5 will require about 168 wells and will produce about <br />96,000 acre-feet of ground water per year. <br /> <br />We are establishing a control system of observation wells in Stages 1-2, 3, 4, <br />and 5 which will provide positive identification of any fluctuations in the <br />water tables, as required by Public law 92-514, Sec. 102 (a). Stages 1-2 and 3 <br />observation wells are complete. We have under contract nineteen (19) obser- <br />vation wells in Stages 4 and 5. The remaining eleven (11) wells will be <br />completed the first quarter of 1984. The project will have a total of 68 per- <br />manent observation wells. <br />