BOARD01283

• Board Meeting Date: 9/24/2001
• Description: Flood Section - Added Agenda Item: Drought Planning Survey Carryover Assessment Project
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Groundhog Reservoir

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HISTORY

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During the summer of 1776, the Spanish Fathers Dominguez
and Escalante, envisioned the Dolores Project as they camped
on the spot that is now known as the Escalante Ruin. In the
mid 1880's, private de-
velopers constructed
both the tunnel and the
great cut diversions to
bring water from the
Dolores River basin into
the Montezuma Valley.
By 1920, the private
ditch companies "were
broke" and their sys-
tems were in disrepair.
Montezuma Valley Irrigation Company was fonned in 1920 to
consolidate several systems, rehabilitate them, and continue to
operate and maintain them. All went well, except there never
was enough late season water. Cortez Bootstraps, following the
advice of Congressman Wayne Aspinall formed the Dolores
Water Conservancy District in November of 1961. The District
was successful ,in obtaining authorization of the Dolores Project
in 1968. In 1977, local voters, by a 94% margin, approved the
concept of the project and accepted a repayment obligation to
the United States, of up to $26 million. President Carter delayed
construction in 1978. Because of influence of the Ute Moun-
tain Ute Tribe, construction of McPhee Dam began in 1980.
By 1986 irrigators in Montezuma Valley, the Ute Tribe and
Dolores Project fanners finally had a long-tenn, dependable
supply of water.
At long last, the
dreams of genera-
tions - of a pro-
ject that serves
diverse interests
ranging from tra-
ditional agricul-
ture and municipal
needs to instream
flow, fish, wildlife
and wetland habi.
tat is a gratifying
reality.

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