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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />1.0 INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />1.1 PURPOSE <br /> <br />The purpose of this project was to collect data that would provide a better understanding of the <br /> <br /> <br />benefits of ground water recharge in the San Luis Valley of Colorado and to construct a major <br /> <br /> <br />recharge structure to facilitate ground water storage with winter surface diversions. <br /> <br />1.2 LOCATION <br /> <br />The project is located within the boundaries ofthe San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District <br />and generally encompassing the areas in the San Luis Valley traversed and irrigated by the <br />waters ofthe Rio Grande. Figure 1-1 includes a map showing the boundaries of the District in <br />the vicinity of this study. Plate 1 included in a pocket at the end of this report is a map of the <br />District in the vicinity of this study including ditch systems, areas irrigated by the major ditch <br />system diverting from the Rio Grande, center pivot-sprinkler locations and other hydrologically <br />significant data. <br /> <br />1.3 HISTORY AND NEED <br /> <br />During recent years the ground water levels and pressures in the artesian aquifer system of the <br /> <br />San Luis Valley have varied widely. Also during this period the Rio Grande Basin has, through <br /> <br /> <br />the spilling of Elephant Butte Reservoir, eliminated a major Rio Grande Compact debt and seen <br /> <br /> <br />the Closed Basin salvage project begin to deliver significant amounts of water to the river. <br /> <br /> <br />These events have resulted in many people recognizing that through better water management in <br /> <br /> <br />the San Luis Valley, more of the available water can be used by senior and junior water rights in <br /> <br /> <br />Colorado. These water rights have been previously and continue to be curtailed in order to meet <br /> <br /> <br />Rio Grande Compact obligations to downstream states_ <br /> <br />1-1 <br />