BOARD01741

• Board Meeting Date: 6/20/1955
• Description: Minutes and Resolution
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

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.274

state that I have reviewed in a preliminary fashion
the preliminary design of the dam and its appurtenance
and, in my opinion, it is the best and most economical
type of structure that could be built at the Wago~ Wheel
Gap site to provide a reservoir with a capacity of 500,000
acre-feet. There may be some questions concerning the
capacity of the outlet works and sluiceways.

Under the 1955 version of the project, three' of
the Fish and Wildlife Service's recommendations would
not be strictly complied .with. Minimum flows would
not be guaranteed in the amount of 6Q" seconcf.:feet for the
winter months as recommended by the Se~vice; the only
period when such flows would be available would be when
flood water is being vacated from the reservoir. rhe
Fish and Wildlife Service also recommended the acquisition
of 1900 acres of land for a big game winter range, and the
provision of 8000 acre-feet of Rio Grande water a~nually
for the Monte Vista National Wildlife Development. The
Bureau's report does not contemplate that either of
these recommendations would be complied with. Th~re
appears in the Bureau's report the following significant
statement:

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"In this connection, it is pertinent that
the flows of the Rio Grande are fully
appropriated and construction of Wagon.
Wheel Gap Reservoir would not create any
new water supplies which could be
assigned to fish and wildlife uses."

.
In respect to recreation, the 1955 plan would provide
for the development of recreational faqilities at and
near the reservoir in accordance with the tentative
recommendation of the National Parks Service.

The Bureau's report s~at~s that "At the end of
the study (1951) Colorado (under the Rio Grande Compact
provisions) .had an accrued credit of 86,900 acre-feet."
This statement is subject to some question. The state-
ment as made would include the operation of the Conejos.
Without the use of any of the 10,000 acre-feet of
annual "cushion" provideq for Colorado in the Compact,
the operation of Wagon Wheel Gap as contemplated in
the report would cause an accrued debit of 97,000 acre-
feet at the end of the 27-year study period. It should

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