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<br />TRINIDAD PROJECT <br /> <br />* <br /> <br />Tbe Trinidad Project was authorized for construction by the <br />Corps 01' Engineers under P. L. 85-500 on July 3, 1958. Repayment <br />of costs allocated to irrigation are to be in accordance with <br />Reclllmation law, hence the Bureau of Reclamation is a participant <br />only to the extent of formulation 01' the irrigation plan, and <br />contract negotiation and execution. <br />The Project is located in south central Colorado along the <br />Purgatoire River in Ias AnimAS County, not far from the Colorado- <br />New Mexico border. The dam site is about 2 miles southwest of the <br />city of Trinidad. The irrigable lands are located along both banks <br />01' the river for a distance of about 25 miles. <br />Need for Developnent <br />The Purgatoire River is highly susceptible to flooding and <br />has posed a constant threat to the city of Trinidad and to down- <br />stream improvements located in the flood plain. <br />Prior to 1950 the Corps of Engineers had planned to construct <br />levies and channel improvements othrough the city of Trinidad. How- <br />ever, the advantages of a multiple-purpose reservoir 1'or flood <br />contrOl, irrigation, and recreation were recognized. Cooperative <br />studies were conducted by the Corps and the :Bureau 01' Reclamation <br />in 1952-1953, resulting in the . proposed plan of develo);lllent. <br />The need 1'or irrigation storage capacity in the reservoir <br />stemmed 1'rom the reduction in capacity of the privately-owned <br />Model. Reservoir fran 20,000 acre-feet to lasa than 6,000 acre-feet <br /> <br />20 <br />