WSP12002

• File Number: 8509
• Description: San Luis Valley
• State: CO
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Water Division: 3
• Date: 8/10/1987
• Title: San Luis Valley Confined Aquifer Study ‎(Phase I)‎ Final Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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for use as "drought insurance" during particularly dry seasons.

TD.~~~thJrg.J'~cgl1lmendation of the?~udy team i~~t~a.L\l_ cpoperative effort
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among all---1lL1h!L!!!ajor._'@ter-\!~~ILtities inthe Valley.-S.hQJ!JsL_~...initiated to'
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proPerJy-manage. tbe. conjuncti veus.g~QJ.tjle surfK.~.~A1;lrr.._.anjLJ;.bCL,9l'.Q~l1c:1wa!er
resources of the San Luis ValleY,.lis.5.!llLconcepts such as suggested in the
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recommendation discussed above.

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A first step toward such a cooperative effort could be the formation of a
technical steering committee for Valley water development. Such a committee
should be composed of individuals who are expert in various aspects of the
Valley's water development potential and needs. Members of a technical
steering committee could come first from Valley agricultural/irrigation
interests, with other members from various agencies, as well as the consulting
engineering and legal communities. It is suggested that the Rio Grande Water
Conservation District could. serve as the sponsor and/or leader of such a
steering committee. In order to serve a useful purpose in evaluating
alternatives for conjunctive ground water and surface water development and
use in the Valley, funding would be necessary.
The Phase I studies conducted for the Authority, under the sponsorship of
the San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District, should be considered as a
springboard for discussion of conjunctive ground water and surface water
development alternatives which would be considered by the steering committee.
Several other potential and on-going investigations in the Valley would
provide valuable data to the conjunctive management of the water resources in
the Valley. As experience has shown, much time, money, and effort has been
expended in the Valley and elsewhere on water-related adversarial conflicts
from which few or no benefits have been derived. It is the recommendation of
the study team that such funds and effort could provide greater benefits if
used in water development projects rather than in adversarial conflicts.

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