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<br />Compact Facts
<br />
<br />Colorado River Compact of 1922
<br />Allocates 7.5 million AF of consumptive use annually to (I) the Upper Colorado River Basin (those parts of Arizona,
<br />Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming above Lee Ferry, Arizona), and (2) the Lower Colorado River Basin
<br />(those parts of Arizona, California, and Nevada below Lee Ferry, Arizona). This Compact requires the Upper
<br />Colorado River Basin to deliver an average of 75 million AF to the Lower Basin during any consecutive I a-year
<br />period. The Lower Basin is allowed an additional 1.0 million AF of consumptive use from the Colorado River system.
<br />
<br />Rio Grande, Colorado, and Tijuana Treaty of 1944 between the United States and Mexico
<br />Guarantees delivery of 1.5 million AF of Colorado River water per year to Mexico. If there is not adequate surplus
<br />water to satisfy the obligation, the Upper and Lower Basins are to equally share the burden of reducing uses to
<br />make up any deficiencies.
<br />
<br />Upper Colorado River Basin Compact of 1948
<br />Allocates the 7.5 million AF apportionment of consumptive uses available to the Upper Basin as follows:
<br />
<br />Statewide Water Supply Initiative
<br />Fact Sheet
<br />
<br />
<br />Dolores/San 'u_/
<br />San Miguel Basin
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<br />
<br />Arizona
<br />Colorado
<br />Utah
<br />Wyoming
<br />New Mexico
<br />
<br />50,000 AF /year
<br />51. 75%
<br />23%
<br />14%
<br />11.25%
<br />
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<br />Additionally, the State of Colorado may not deplete the flow in the Yampa River below an aggregate of 5 million AF over
<br />any I a-year period.
<br />
<br />La Plata River Compact of 1922
<br />
<br />Apportions the La Plata River between Colorado and New Mexico. Each state has unrestricted use between December I
<br />and February 15. Outside that period, each state can use the flow of the river if the flow is in excess of 100 cfs at the state
<br />line. At the state line, if the flow is less than 100 cfs, Colorado must ensure delivery of an amount of flow equal to one-
<br />half the flow of the river at Hesperus, Colorado.
<br />
<br />Animas-La Plata Project Compact of 1968
<br />
<br />The right to store and divert water for use in New Mexico under this project shall be of equal priority to rights granted
<br />under Colorado Court Decree for uses in Colorado from the project.
<br />
<br />The Colorado Ute Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 1988
<br />
<br />Settles the reserved water right claims of the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Tribes on all streams that cross the
<br />Reservations of the two tribes, with respect to quantity, priority, and administration. Claims on the Animas and La Plata
<br />Rivers are dependent on construction of the Animas-La Plata Project. Colorado Court Decrees establish the rights of the
<br />Tribes within the priority system. The settlement established a Tribal Development Fund, and Colorado's cost share
<br />commitment to both the Development Fund and the Animas-La Plata Project.
<br />
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<br />
<br />Dolores/San Juan/San Miguel
<br />Bas i nOve rview
<br />
<br />The Dolores/San Juan/San Miguel Basin is located in
<br />the southwest corner of Colorado. It covers an area of
<br />approximately 10,169 square miles. The largest cities
<br />within the basin are Durango (population 15,213) and
<br />Cortez (population 8,328). The Upper San Juan River
<br />and its tributaries also flow through two Native
<br />American reservations in the southern portion of the
<br />basin:
<br />
<br />. Ute Mountain Ute Reservation
<br />. Southern Ute Indian Reservation
<br />
<br />Elevations in the San Juan River system range from
<br />greater than 14,000 feet in headwater areas of the
<br />Animas and Los Pinos Rivers down to 4,500 feet, where
<br />the Mancos River exits the state just east of the Four
<br />Corners. The San Juan Basin is characterized by rugged
<br />terrain, including mesas, terraces, escarpments,
<br />canyons, dry washes (arroyos), and mountains.
<br />
<br />Major Storage Projects
<br />
<br />Major Imports into the Basin
<br />
<br /> Normal Storage
<br />ReseNoir IAF)
<br />McPhee ReseNoir 381,100
<br />Vallecito ReseNoir 129,700
<br />Lemon ReseNoir 40,100
<br />Cascade ReseNoir 23,254
<br />Groundhog ReseNoir 21,710
<br />Narraguinnep ReseNoir 18,960
<br />Williams Creek ReseNoir 10,084
<br />Jackson Gulch ReseNoir 9,980
<br />Summit ReseNoir 5,954
<br />Red Mesa Ward ReseNoir 1,100
<br />
<br />None
<br />
<br />Major Exports from the Basin
<br />
<br /> Average
<br /> Annual
<br />Name Diversions
<br /> IAF)
<br />1 San Juan-Chama Project 89,832
<br />2 Other 1,873
<br />TOTAL 91,705
<br />
<br />(continued on page 3)
<br />
<br />Conservation and Conservancy Districts
<br />
<br />Water ConseNation Districts
<br />Southwestern Colorado River
<br />
<br />Water ConseNancy Districts
<br />Animas-La Plata Florida La Plata
<br />San Miguel Dolores Mancos
<br />San Juan Paradox Valley
<br />
<br />Source: Division 7 1998 Annual Report, 1 O-year average
<br />Ed Candle (515) 462-3586
<br />
<br />Source: Colorado Division of Water Resources Office of Dam Safety Database
<br />
<br />Additional information on this River Basin is available at http://www.cwcb.state.co.us
<br />
<br />Bill Owens
<br />Governor
<br />
<br />Dolores/San Juan/San
<br />Miguel Basin Water
<br />Management Issues
<br />
<br />Russell George
<br />Department of Natural
<br />Resources
<br />Executive Director
<br />
<br />Rod Kuharich
<br />Colorado Water
<br />Conservation Board
<br />Director
<br />
<br />The Dolores/San Juan/San Miguel Basin
<br />will face several key points and challenges with respect
<br />to water management issues and needs over the next
<br />30 years. The following provides an overview of some
<br />of the points and challenges that have been identified.
<br />
<br />. This multiple basin area of the state is extremely
<br />diverse with changing demographics-
<br />
<br />The Pagosa Springs-Bayfield-Durango corridor is
<br />rapidly growing, has areas of localized water
<br />shortages, and is transitioning from mining/
<br />agricultural to tourism, recreation, and a
<br />retirement/second home area.
<br />
<br />The Cortez area remains strongly agricultural but
<br />is also seeing rapid growth with retirees moving
<br />to the area.
<br />
<br />The San Miguel area is a mix of recreation and
<br />tourism along with a strong desire to maintain
<br />agriculture.
<br />
<br />. The Recovery Implementation Program is designed
<br />to address the recovery needs of the Colorado River
<br />endangered fish while protecting existing water uses
<br />and allowing for the future use of Colorado River
<br />water in compliance with Interstate Compacts,
<br />Treaties, and applicable federal and state law "the
<br />Law of the Colorado River."
<br />
<br />. Overall water supply is available but getting
<br />sufficient infrastructure and water distribution will be
<br />a key challenge.
<br />
<br />. The Colorado River Compact places pressure on uses
<br />of the San Juan River because New Mexico's primary
<br />source of supply for its upper Colorado River Basin
<br />Compact apportionment is the San Juan River.
<br />
<br />
<br />Animas River (photo courtesy of James Page)
<br />
<br />February 2006
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