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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I CHAPTER IV - WETP ACK STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION (Summary from October 2000 Feasibility Report) The WETP ACK planning area is in Dolores and Montezuma Counties in southwestern Colorado. The potential areas which may receive water from WETP ACK is the Dolores River basin from Rico on the East Fork and Dunton on the West Fork, non-irrigated lands adjacent to the MVIC lands and Dolores Project full service lands, and the Dolores River fishery below McPhe{: Dam. ,/ The major towns in the planning area are the City of Cortez and the Towns of Dolores, Dove Creek and Rico. The major river is the Dolores River which flows from Lizard Head Pass southwest to the Town of Dolores then bends to the northwest into McPhee Reservoir then continues northwest to the Colorado River in Utah. The primary water source in the WETP ACK area is the Dolores River. The Dolores River has an average annual runoff of about 355,000 acre-feet into McPhee Reservoir. About 130,000 acre-feet is diverted from the Dolores River by MVIC for irrigation around Cortez. Approximately 140,000 acre-feet is diverted for Project water supplies. An average of about 72,000 acre-feet per year is spilled from McPhee, with no spill in about half the years and large spills in the other half. The planning area is served by a system of Federal, State and local highways. Cortez is served by U.S. Highway 491 (old 666) which accesses Salt Lake City, Utah to the north and Gallup, New Mexico to the south, and U.S. Highway 160 which accesses Durango, Colorado to the east and Flagstaff, Arizona to the southwest. State Highways 145 and 184 provide additional access within the project area. There is no rail service. Commercial airline service is provided to Denver International Airport. Agriculture and related service industries are the chief economic pursuits in the project area. Agricultural development varies with the availability of suitable land and irrigation water. With the Project full service irrigation northwest of the MVIC area and lands on the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation, the agricultural base has significantly expanded in the past decade. There are approximately 68,000 acres of irrigated land in the Project area. The primary crops are alfalfa which is shipped to dairies to the south and small grains (pinto beans, wheat, and oats). Alfalfa is the primary crop due to the excellent quality product and the excellent market in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas for dairies and horses. The benefits of the Project for irrigation can be measured by increased production and stabilization of the agricultural base of the area. There is a waiting list of landowners who have requested irrigation water. Please refer to the 2000 Feasibility Study for detailed infonnation. 5