WSP10594

• File Number: 8131.600
• Description: Southeastern Colorado Water conservancy District - SECWCD
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 1/1/1972
• Title: Brochure No 2 - Operating Principles Fryingpan Arkansas Project and Excerpts from Letter to Secretary of Interior -- The Future of the Arkansas Valley is It's Water---
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

Through impodation of new water, improved
regulation of existing water supplies, and reuse of
return flows, the project will provide on average an-
nual increased conal heodgate supply of 163,100
acre-feet of supplemental irrigation water for a total
of 280,600 acres. These lands are located within the
Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District,
and will be served by existing distribution systems.
About 267,800 acres are located in the Arkansas
Valley and will receive service directly from importa-
tion of new water and the improved regulation of
exisfing water supplies. The Fountain River Volley,
containing about 12,800 acres and located within
the Conservancy District, will receive indirect supplies
of supplemenfal water by return flows from project
municipal water allotted 10 Colorado Springs. Pro-
iect return flows also will provide on additional
average of 29,500 acre-feet of water to lands outside
fhe Districf below the existing John Martin Reservoir
of \he Army Corps of cng.meers.

Estimates of the average annual increase of
163,' 00 acre-feet of supplemental irrigation water
for District lands are as follows by sources;

Acre-feet

Direct water - released at Pueblo
Reservoir. Western slope imports
plus conservation of flood flows
New water developed by Twin
lakes Canol Company
Arkansas River winter stored water __

49,500

11,800
65,900
127,200

Subtotal uuuu____mm
Indirect water - return flows and
reuse. Reuse from the new Twin
lakes water _.--m______________ 4,700
Return flows from municipal and
industrial water ___n________n_n____n______
Reuse from project imports
Subtotal _______m_. _____________
Total average annual supplemental
supplYu_muuu __muuu__ 163,100

The supplemental irrigaiion water supp\y wi\l
alleviate to a large degree the water shortages ex-
perienced by the irrigation of the Arkansas Volley,
but is not adequate to completely eliminate short-
ages in all years. The preproject canal heodgate
shortage for the 267,800 acres of Arkansas Valley
land~ currently averages 3B percent annually based
on a 47-year (1911-57) water operation study. The
post-project headgate shortage for these lands is
estimated to average 19 percent annually.
The Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy Dis-
trict, which includes the irrigable lands and the muni-
cipa\ities to rec.eive project water, will be the princi-

11,400
19,800
35,900

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pal payment entity. In the event that the United
Stafes constructs the municipal water conveyance sys-
tems, the repayment in 50 years, with interest, of the
construction cost of such facilities will be covered by
separafe contracts to be entered into prior to con-
struction of fhe conveyonce systems.

Tne annual service charge payable by ~he Dis-
trict pursuant fa Article 11 of the contract consists of
three components as follows:

1. An amount equal to the yield from a levy
of nine-tenths of one mill on the assessed
valuation of all taxable property in the
District for the preced'lng year, as fixed by
the proper officials of the counties in which
the Districf lies;

2. Five dollars and forly cents (5.40) for each
acre.foot of project water delivered to the
District for irrigation and municipal and
industrial USei and

3. Two dollars and twenty-five cenfs (2.25)
for each acre-foot of winter stored water
delivered to the District.

The componenf based on the 0.9 mill ad valorem
tox levy is reqUired to be paid every year whether
or not water is delivered and is payable one-half on
June 30 and one-half on December 31 of the current
water delivery year. Payments for deliveries of pro-
ject water under (2) and winfer-stored water under
(3) are to be made in advance.

Under Colorado law, the normal maximum ad
valorem tax levy fhe District con make is one mill
per dollar of assessed valuation comrT1encing when
projecf water becomes available. The proposed con-
tract contemplates that the District will assess the
on': .nil! maximum and thaI 90 percent of the result-
ing revenues will be paid as a component of the an~
nuol water service charge. The remaining 10 percent
will be used for meeting the District's administrative
and other costs.

Commencement of District payments for delivery
of w.lnter stored water will depend on the successful
development of the winter storage progrom by the
District. The winter wafer storoge program contem-
plates fhe storage of Arkansas River flows currently
being diverfed for winter irrigation, under existing
water righfs, during the 5-month period November 1
to March 31. Release of this stored water from Pue-
blo Reservoir during the ensuing summer irrigation
season is expected to be much more beneficial than
the present inefficient use of the water for winter
irrigation. Practically all of the 13 ditch companies
(serving 0 total of 255,000 acres) within fhe District
below Pueblo Reservo'lr current)y practice winter irri-

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