Laserfiche WebLink
Introduction <br />the surface water are not well defined. The RGDSS and additional data will improve the <br />understanding of the physical system and improve estimates of potential water yield. <br />1.3 San Luis Valley Project <br />The San Luis Valley Project was authorized by Congress in 1940 and described in House Document <br />693. This project included a Rio Grande element (this was not built), a Closed Basin element (the <br />Closed Basin Project), and a Conejos River element (Platoro Reservoir). The two primary purposes of <br />the San Luis Valley Project were to assist Colorado in meeting its commitments to New Mexico and <br />Texas under the Rio Grande Compact (see Section 1.4.1) and to assist the United States in meeting its <br />commitments to Mexico under the Treaty of 1906. <br />1.3.1 Closed Basin Project <br />The Closed Basin Division of the San Luis Valley Project was authorized by Congress on October 20, <br />1972 (and modified in 1980 and 1984). Designed to pump water out of the Closed Basin, the Closed <br />Basin Project consists of numerous wells and canals that deliver water to the Rio Grande. The total <br />ultimate production capacity of the Closed Basin Project was estimated to be approximately 100,000 <br />acre-feet per year (Leonard Rice Consulting Engineers, Inc. 1990). However, actual production to <br />date has averaged 24,000 acre-feet per year. This low average is partly due to production curtailment <br />in years when the water was not needed to help satisfy compact deliveries (S. Vandiver 1997). Basin <br />water users agree that a more realistic goal would be a maximum of 65,000 acre-feet per year. <br />According to Public Law 92-514-October 20, 1972, the Closed Basin Project deliveries are <br />categorized into four types of uses: <br />• Priority one deliveries are made to assist the State of Colorado in meeting its compact <br />commitments to New Mexico and Texas. These deliveries are limited to an average of <br />60,000 acre-feet per year over any 10-year period. <br />• Priority two deliveries are made to enhance wildlife in the Alamosa National Wildlife <br />Refuge and Blanca Wildlife Habitat Area. These deliveries are limited to 5,300 acre-feet <br />per year. <br />• Priority three deliveries were applied to reduce and eliminate any accumulated deficit in <br />compact deliveries that existed when the legislation was enabled. Priority three deliveries <br />no longer apply since the pre-legislation debt was eliminated when Elephant Butte <br />Reservoir spilled in 1985. <br />• Priority four deliveries are available at a charge from unused supply for general use by <br />Rio Grande and Conejos water users after priority one and two users have been satisfied. <br />1.3.2 Conejos River <br />The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) prepared a report in 1947 recommending the construction <br />of Platoro Reservoir in the Conejos River basin. This reservoir was built from 1949 to 1951 with a <br />capacity of approximately 60,000 acre-feet that includes a 6,000 acre-foot flood pool. Platoro <br />Reservoir is decreed for 53,571 acre-feet. Because this reservoir was built after the compact was <br />signed, it is referred to as apost-compact reservoir and is subject to special restrictions under the <br />compact. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assumes operation of Platoro Reservoir during flood <br />control situations. <br />a454/report/fmaUintro.doc 07/2&~OS 1-5 <br />