Laserfiche WebLink
WATER SUPPLY <br />The water source for Cactus Park Reservoir would involve a re- <br />operation of existing ditches and water rights. Presently, the <br />irrigators in the lower elevation (southern) part of Surface and <br />Currant Creek drainages have the senior water rights and call for <br />water when it is available. The upper elevation irrigators <br />(northern) have junior rights. <br />The general plan for Cactus Park Reservoir is to store excess <br />spring flows that are currently diverted because the water is <br />available. The modified scenario the upper elevation irrigators <br />would use water from the streams according to their crop water <br />needs. The excess water and return flow is collected and conveyed <br />by the Surface Creek Feeder Ditch to Cactus Park Reservoir then <br />released into the Cedaredge Canal for distribution to the lower <br />elevation irrigators according to crop needs. <br />Three alternative plans were evaluated: (1) maximize the use of <br />flows within the Surface and Currant Creek drainages, (2) import <br />water from LeRoux Creek, .immediately to the east, and (3) import <br />water from LeRoux Creek and Overland Ditch. The three alternatives <br />were evaluated to determine the size and cost of facilities to <br />provide 85~, 90$ or 95~ firmness of annual water supply to 15,000 <br />acres of presently irrigated land. Some of the irrigated land <br />presently receives a full supply and some is considerably short. <br />The alternative which maximizes water supplies within the irrigated <br />area and does not import water from adjacent streams was used for <br />evaluation herein because it would be the easiest to implement. <br />However, the cost per acre foot is about 12~ higher than importing <br />water from LeRoux Creek and Overland Ditch. <br />In order to maximize water supplies and provide 85~ firmness of <br />water availability, a 15,900 acre-foot capacity reservoir with a <br />dam about 170 feet high. The annual average additional yield would <br />he 11,300 acre-feet. <br />RESERVOIR <br />Table 1 shows the elevation-area-capacity values for the reservoir <br />from the estimated bottom of 6360 feet to the proposed dam crest of <br />6530 feet. The table was developed from data obtained from the <br />Bureau of Reclamation. <br />Cactus Park Dam 4 <br />