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<br />I <br />I. <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />Ie <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I. <br />I <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br />1 INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />1.1 Purpose of study <br /> <br />WMC was contracted by the Orchard Mesa Irrigation District (aMID) to investigate <br />concerns associated with the Orchard Mesa Power Canal. The concerns were <br />separated into three specific tasks to be addressed individually. These tasks are as <br />follows: <br /> <br />Task 1 - Orchard Mesa Power Canal Enlargement. The purpose of this section of the <br />study was to investigate the potential benefits and costs associated with enlarging the <br />Orchard Mesa Power Canal. <br /> <br />The current Power Canal is designed to convey a flow rate of 800 cfs. Water in the <br />Power Canal is used for two purposes: irrigation of crops and hydropower generation. <br />The current 800-cfs capacity of the Power Canal is not sufficient to convey the full water <br />right decreed to aMID and the Bureau of Reclamation. The decreed water right <br />available to be passed through the Power Canal is 860.2 cfs, with 10.2 cfs being an <br />OM I D water right from the Year 1898, 450 cfs being an OM I D water right from the <br />Year 1907, and 400 cfs being a Bureau of Reclamation water right from the Year 1908. <br /> <br />Task 1 will focus on determining the benefits and costs associated with increasing the <br />Power Canal capacity from its current 800 cfs to 860.2 cfs. Increasing the capacity of <br />the Power Canal to 860.2 cfs will allow aMID to fully use its decreed water right. The <br />additional water could be used for crop irrigation or hydropower generation. <br /> <br />Task 2 - Orchard Mesa Power Canal Overtopping. The purpose of this portion of the <br />study was to investigate to canal overtopping problems along the portion of the Power <br />Canal that parallels Interstate 70. At times, water spills out of the existing canal flows <br />directly onto 1-70, where it creates a very dangerous flooding problem. The flooding is <br />caused primarily by ice jams that back water up in the Power Canal during the winter. <br /> <br />This study presents different alternatives that could be implemented to alleviate this <br />problem, and costs of implementing the solutions are presented. <br /> <br />Task 3 - Stokes Gulch Inverted Siphon Replacement. The purpose of this portion of <br />the study was to develop conceptual layouts and cost estimates for the replacement of <br />the Stokes Gulch inverted siphon. <br /> <br />2616-R1 <br /> <br />Orchard Mesa Irrigation District <br /> <br />Water Management Consultants <br />