BOARD01830

• Board Meeting Date: 5/11/1998
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Vallecito Reservoir Transfer Legislation
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

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Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
721 Centennial Building
131 3 Sherman Street
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone, [phone]
FAlL [phone]

Roy Romer
Governor

MEMORANDUM

J<lmes S. lochhe<ld
Executive Direcror, DNR

D;uies C. Life, P.E.
Direcror. eWeB

TO:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

FROM: Randy Seaholm ~
Chief, Interstate Streams Investigation Section

DATE: April 28, 1998

SUBJECT: Agenda Item 26k, May 11-12,1998 Board Meeting-
Colorado River Basin Issues
Vallecito Reservoir Transfer Legislation

Introduction

H.R, 3715, the "Pine River Project Conveyance Act" was introduced in the U.S.
House of Representatives on April 23, 1998 by Rep. Scott McInnis. The primary
objective of the Bill is to authorize the Secretary ofInterior to convey the facilities of
Reclamation's Pine River Project to the Pine River Irrigation District and the Bureau of
Indian Affairs to hold in trust for the Southern Ute Tribe. In addition, the Bill provides
for the jurisdictional transfer of project lands between the Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, and the Department ofInterior, Bureau of Reclamation, and the Bureau of
Indian Affairs, and the District, and for other purposes.. The Bill was referred to the
House Committee on Resources on April 24, 1998. A hearing on the Bill is scheduled for
April 30, 1998 before the Subcommittee on Water and Power.

The Pine River Project is located on the Pine River, largely in La Plata County
with some project lands in the southwest corner of Archuleta County. The principal
feature of the project is Vallecito Reservoir, located approximately 15 miles due north of
Bayfield, Colorado. Vallecito Reservoir has a total storage capacity of 129,700 acre-feet
of which 125,400 acre-feet is considered active. The project supplies supplemental water
to approximately 13,000 acres ofIndian lands on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation
and approximately 42,000 acres of other lands. In addition to irrigation benefits, the
project also provides significant flood control and recreational benefits. The project was
constructed by the U.S, Bureau of Reclamation between 1938 and 1941 and is currently
being operated by Pine River Irrigation District.

Discussion

T..T.R. 3715 would authorize the Secretary ofInterior to convey ownership of the
United _ . ..: undi,,' 'cj 5\6th right and interest in the Pine River Project to the Pine