Laserfiche WebLink
Feasibility Study for the Plaza Project — Phase 2: McDonald Ditch Implementation Project <br />Section 3 — Water Source and Project Area <br />3.1 Water Source <br />The water body affected by Phase 2 is the Rio Grande. The Rio Grande watershed in Colorado <br />covers 8,2oo square miles. The river flows 200 miles through Colorado, originating near the <br />Continental Divide. Numerous tributaries converge on the east slope of the Continental Divide <br />from elevations near i3,000 feet to form the Rio Grande mainstem. The river flows to the east <br />through the Rio Grande National Forest and then through private property for approximately 55 <br />miles, where it passes near the town of Creede, located at approximately 8,850 feet. Willow <br />Creek originates near the Continental Divide on the north side of the basin. Willow Creek flows <br />through Creede and then enters the Rio Grande at an elevation of 8,600 feet. The Rio Grande <br />continues its relatively steep descent for another 22 miles to the confluence with the South Fork <br />of the Rio Grande at approximately 8,200 feet elevation, where the town of South Fork is <br />located. The Rio Grande enters the San Luis Valley, the largest intermountain basin in Colorado, <br />at the town of South Fork. The river then flows southeast for approximately 65 miles through <br />Del Norte and Monte Vista to Alamosa, the largest city in the watershed, at an elevation of <br />approximately 7,550 feet. The river turns to the south and flows for another 40 miles to the New <br />Mexico border. The elevation at the New Mexico border is approximately 7,400 feet. <br />3.2 Project Area <br />The Project area is located within the Sevenmile Plaza in Rio Grande County, Colorado. The Project <br />elements include the McDonald Ditch diversion and headgate, the streambanks 5oo feet upstream <br />and downstream of the diversion, and a wetland adjacent to the diversion. These elements are all <br />directly South of the Sevenmile Plaza Bridge on County Road 5 North and County Road 5 West. <br />The closest town is Monte Vista, Colorado. <br />,,�,�jR,�rt �.. •d' J�f',e•...�n+40- pJ�l� i� coro.,ao <br />.t t <br />9�,* <br />VIA, P tan t � / t e <br />r <br />A <br />iJ <br />OWN <br />1 <br />- Protect Area <br />a <br />Legend . <br />— .1701 Shd, Reach C.0 W' <br />\70] Shategc Pan Reach MWICIPdla.r; - <br />RG Bann Ifivls <br />Figure 1. Location of the Plata Project- Phase 2: McDonald Ditch Implementation Project (Phase 2) <br />7 <br />