FLOOD10488

• County: Costilla
• Community: San Luis
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Title: San Luis - Feasibility Study
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Correspondence

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SITE VISIT AND TRIP REPORT
SAN LUIS (COSTILLA COUNTY), COLORADO
OCTOBER 26, 1995

Backeround
On October 26, 1995 the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) conducted a field visit to
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San Luis in response to a request by the town of San Luis regarding a sub-surface drainage
problem in certain parts of the community. The purpose of the site visit was to m6et with local
officials and to gather information and data pertinent to the project area and potential mitigation
project. The meeting attendance is summarized in the table below. I

Name Affiliation Phone NuIhber
L Lan CWCB (303) 866-~441
Tom Brownin CWCB (303) 866-~441
Felix Lo ez USDA - NRCS (719) 672-$673
Nicole Lan Ie Town Mana er (719) 672-$321
Joe E. Town Ma or (719) 672-$321

A master drainage study for San Luis was completed in 1988 by WRC, Inc., and l sub-surface
drain was built in 1992 to relieve groundwater problems in the northeast side of the town. In
addition, a levee was constructed on the east side of town to protect structures frodl floodwaters
which come from the Rito Seco bypass ditch. The sub-surface drain successfullly mitigated
groundwater problems in the northeast side of the town, however homes and bus~nesses in the
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central and southern parts of town allegedly started experiencing basement flooqing after the
drain was built. The town is very interested in completing a "second phase" of the original
project which would allow for drainage of groundwater in the central and southerili parts of the
community.

Issues and Findines
Several aspects pertaining to the eXIstmg and potential projects area in San Luis were
investigated during the site visit. The major issues and findings are described as follbws:

· There are several homes and businesses in the central and southern parts of tolLn that have
sustained foundation/basement damage as a result of high groundwater. Some examples of
structures that have problems include the museum, and the houses of Father Pa , Mayor Joe,
and Ida Valdez.

. The high groundwater level is an historic problem, but it seems to have become worse over
the last three years according to local officials. The Rito Seco runs along the e~st side of the
community, and the Culebra Creek runs along the south side.

. The county cut a new ditch from the existing subdrain outlet to the ditch near 4th Street and
the levee (east of Vega Street). Prior to excavation of the new ditch, flows frorJ the subdrain
outlet entered into the Vega lands and ponded to the southeast of the outlet.