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, I o ,.~ w ..... ..... --J 26 DEPLETION OF SURFACE WATER SUPPLIES tremendous capital investment which must be made to industrialize the region and which will not be made until there is assurance of ample water. FUTURE TRANSMOUNTAIN DIVERSIONS The supply of waterfrom Colorado River which was allocated to Colo~ rado has already been depleted to the extent of 388,000 acre-feet per year because of transmountain diversions; commitments for increased diversions through existing facilities would bring the total up to 503,000 acre-feet per year. Although there are few opportunities for the diversion of still more water across the Continental Divide, a very large quantity of water could be taken if there were no legal nor economic barriers to these potential projects. The proposal of Denver to divert the waters of Blue River into the South Platte drainage basin is now in litigation in both the State and Federal courts. No opinion can be expressed as to the legal rights of Denver or any other agency to make new or increased trans- mountain diversions. New transmountain diversions will be limited generally to the headwaters of the main stem of Colorado River and to the Gunnison River drainage basin above the head of Black Canyon. Some water could be diverted from Yampa River into the headwaters of North Platte River but this is improbable because the use would be only for agricultural purposes. Neither White River nor Dolores River extends back to the Continental Divide. Allowance has already been made for existing and authorized diversions from San Juan River into the head of Rio Grande. '.' :~<~:7 ,~..'s DIVERSIONS FROM COLORADO RIVER .llASIN Transmountl1in diversions through existing facilities above Hot Sulphur Springs could be 400,000 acre-feet per year. This is about 350,000 acre-feet in excess of the diversions which were made during the years 1939 to 1949, the period of less than average runoff which determines the safe yield of the stream. This safe yield,' !tfter reser- o voir evaporation losses, is only 420,000 acre-feet per year, leaving . about 20,000 acre-feet per year for maintenance of a. live stream, Hence, there is no opportunity for, increasing transmountain diver- sions from the watershed of Colorado River above Hot Sulphur Springs except to the extent of the allowances already made for present and committed uses. Two plans for transmountain diversions from Blue River and o adjacent streams have been advanced. The United States Bureau of Reclamation contemplates the diversion of 430,000 acre-feet per year, which would be obtained from Blue River and Williams River, . augmented by diversions into Blue River from Eagle River and other : streams on the west side of the Gore Range. The city and county of Denver proposes the diversion of 177,000 acre-feet per year from Blue River and Williams River alone. It would be physically possible to carry out either of these plans, but not both. . Colorado Springs is already taking water out of the basin above . the proposed points of diversion from Blue River. Hence, the fore- igoing estimates of the Bureau of Reclamation and of Denver may have to be reduced about 17,000 acre-feet per year. ;', Jr :.". . ,~.