FLOOD08598

• County: Conejos
• Community: San Luis Valley
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Title: Subsurface Drainage Feasibilty Study Guadalupe
• Date: 9/1/1996
• Prepared For: Conejos County
• Prepared By: CWCB
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

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4. Perform engineering analyses which includes hydrology, hydraulics, and preliminary
design for the recoIIlIIlended plan.

5. Study alternative solutions to the drainage problem.

6. Prepare preliminary design drawings and construction cost estimates for the
recoIIlIIlended plan.

7. Prepare a reconnaissance-level feasibility report that documents the results of the
study and provides a narrative of the recoIIlIIlended plan.

III STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION

Location
The unincorporated village of Guadalupe is located in Conejos County, Colorado within
the southwestern part of the San Luis Valley. Guadalupe is approximately 200 miles
southwest of Denver, and is about 8 miles north of the Colorado-New Mexico state
border. The cOIIlIIlunities of Conejos and Antonito are just to the southeast of Guadalupe
and they serve as the trade center for the COIIlIIlUnity. Guadalupe is in the southeast
corner of Section 18, Township 33 N, Range 9 E. A location map for Guadalupe is
shown in Figure 1.

Site Characteristics
Guadalupe lies just to the north of the Conejos River which is tributary to the Rio Grande.
The elevation of Guadalupe is approximately 7,900 feet (msl). Guadalupe is in the San
Luis valley which is a high mountain valley situated to the east of the San Juan
Mountains, and to the west of the Culebra and Sangre de Cristo Ranges. Vegetation in
the area consists of range land, pastures, and irrigated agricultural lands. Many acres in
the vicinity of Guadalupe are irrigated from the Guadalupe ditch which diverts water
from the Conejos River. A vicinity map for Guadalupe is shown in Figure 2 and depicts
the general topography and drainage courses in the study area.

Site Specific Drainage Problems
In the Guadalupe area, the depth to groundwater has been very shallow. The high
groundwater level is an historic problem and does not seem to be a result of any recent
construction or other activities in the area. The sub-surface water levels are likely to be a
result of groundwater interaction with the Conejos River, and seem to be highest during
the spring and during the irrigation season.

The high groundwater levels have resulted in the damages to the basements, crawl spaces,
and foundations of approximately 16 houses in the study area. There are no commercial
or known historic structures in Guadalupe.

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