Field Examination Report Proposed Weldona Valley WP Project

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.0 3sw The application did not ir.ontion hater use and p;^oblcns. The e=rdnation, however, rc� °o:a? ed considerable- evidenca of e:.cessiv3 seepage losses from the irrigation ca::als. There is an u°adete3rr.ined though substwitial acreage of land that hao a high water table. This land is now usad for pasture. Reduction of canal a3opage losses and drainage of core lands when drainkgo is feasible would result in better use of soil and water resources. At than tine there is ono oper,..ting dr-- .nrZe district nora_*- •'eldona covering 11 farria. 4. Project Objectives. The application points out the need for land treattont reaeraree in the w- atershed. The measures onumorated are the typed that would xwke the greatest contribution to the alleviation of the floodwatcr, sG L —,ont and erosion problems. The Morgan SCD has Leon organized leas than a y3ar.and no basic conservation plan; have been prepared for the ;good source area. Howovor, 35 stock tu*s have been built by base owncra in crder to secure better grass u anagersent. The prosent level of grass raanagcr.ent and crop residue management, appears ai s to be about average for this part of the country. The president of the Forgan SCD beliovea that the present land ownera will nat {e substantial progress in applying tho noedcd land treatment tveaasures when they understand them. They appear to be financially able to install tho needed land treatment mea$sres with the coot sharing ;assistance available through the ACP. Shortage of teclAmieal assistance ur0cubtedly account for the lack of basic conservation plans. Practically no structural ' measures for flood prevention havo been constructed. One ,:;x,11 retarding structure has boon Comploted only recently. The two irrigation c=paries hav3 provided a dogree of flood protection to their canals although thio has been inadequate. The ?.iverside Cfnal has several spillways for unloading floodwater getting into the canal. It has a eiphon across Fope- Bishop Draw. Exodpt for a flume across Cottonwood Creek, the j:oldon Valley Ditch has no structures at locations where the anal crosses the stream, channels. There appears to be a definite nood for structures I nneaiately above the irrigated land to retard the flood run - off sufficiently to pe:tnit Ito disposal in natural chanrals or irrigation canals without datm e. This may be accoriplished by floodwater retarding rtractures or spreaders in those areas that are topographically suitod to such treatment. In order to conply :��ith water laws, retarding structures mould have to be provided with unrated outlet tubes to reloase the water as rapidly as practicable. If irrigation canals are used to dispose of the floodwater to the South .Platte .liver r-onto Increaso in capacity may be required. This type of improvement dcas not appear to be very costly. Diversion dikes are needed to prevent dac':age to the upstream bar4cs of irrigation canals and to minirdze the sedimont problem. Casual examination Indicates that foundation and f l3 material is satisfactory.