Engineering Feasibility of Long Draw Reservoir Enlargement

• Description: Long Draw Reservoir Enlargement; Small Reclamation Projects; Fort Collins
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 7/20/1966
• Author: Wright-McLaughlin Engineers, Woodward-Clyde-Sherard and Associates, Water Supply & Storage Company Fort Collins, Kenneth R. Wright, William A. Clevenger
• Title: Engineering Feasibility of Long Draw Reservoir Enlargement
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

ENGINEERING FEASIBILITY
OF
LONG DRAW RESERVOIR ENLARGEMENT
I. INTRODUCTION
Long Draw Reservoir, owned by the Water Supply and Storage Company of
Fort Collins, Colorado, is a key feature of the Company's Grand River Ditch
transmountain diversion system. It provides regulating storage for the
imported water which helps to equate the supply to the demand.
The reservoir is situated on Long Draw Creek, a tributary of the Cache
la Poudre which in turn is tributary to the South Platte River. It is in
Sections 11, 10, 14, and 15 of Township 6 North, Range 75 West, approximately
40 air miles west of Fort Collins, just outside the northeast corner of
,Rocky Mountain National' Park. The dam is in Section 11 about 2.5 miles from
La Poudre Pass on the Continental Divide. There is about 8.5 square miles of
naturally tributary basin above the reservoir.
The Water Supply and Storage Company is one of the State's largest
privately owned water companies and one of the largest importers of water to
the Eastern Slope. Many years ago, prior to the involvement of the Federal
Government in large water schemes, the entrepreneurs of the Company laid
claims to foreign waters, invested their money in construction of diversion
facilities, and put into operation important works to bring water from the
Colorado and Laramie Rivers. The water thus brought into the Poudre has
played a major role in the economic life of Northeastern Colorado, and such
communities as Fort Collins and Greeley. -
The significant value of the imported water to the inhabitants of the
Poudre Valley is just now being realized. It is believed that within the
next ten years the value of the water to the well being of this portion of
the State, as well as to the Company, will be fully realized. The problem
then will be to keep the water in agricultural uses as higher offering prices
are made for the Company's water for municipal use. For the benefit of the
Valley as a whole, in our opinion, all other new feasible water sources
should be developed for municipal use before any major attempt is made to
begin changing over non - project agricultural water to this use.
The writers were requested by the Company to determine the feasibility
of providing new storage by enlarging Long Draw Reservoir. It was indicated
that at least 4,000 to 5,000 acre feet of new capacity was desired.
In the course of the work, the writers have inspected the dam and
reservoir numerous times, including an inspection of the interior of the
outlet tubes, have interviewed the State Engineer and his staff, and have
interviewed the original engineer who designed and supervised the construc-
tion of the dam. The existing embankmeht has been drilled and sampled,
and drawings of the original work have been examined.