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<br />PURGATOIRE (PICKET WIRE) HIVER, COLO.
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<br />55. Gthe,. im.provements.-')'here are other minor protective works
<br />along Purgatoire Itivor. They consist mostly ofpilo and wire baskets
<br />fillod with rock, ,dumped riprap, and oth,er minor works, which were
<br />installed by the city of Trinidad, various transportation companies,
<br />and individuals for ,the protection of public and private property a,nd
<br />bridge approaches. The cost of these works is not available.
<br />56. Im.provements desired.-A joint public hearing was held by the
<br />District Engineer, Unitt)d States Engineer Office, Little Rock, Ark.,
<br />and a reprcsentative of the Dcpartment of Agriculturc at Trinidad,
<br />Colo., on September 8, 1937. The hearing was well attended and
<br />includcd State, city, an,d county officials, merchants, bankers, edu-
<br />cators, farmers, ranchers, representatives of the Trinidad Chamber,
<br />of Commerce, the La Junta Chamber of Commerce, the United States
<br />Soil Conservation Service, the United Statcs Bureau of Reclamation,
<br />the Unitcd States Forest Service, several irrigatio,n organizations,
<br />the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, the Denver & Rio
<br />GrllJ1de Western l{ailroad, the Colorado & Southern Railway, the
<br />Missouri Pacific Railroad Cos., the Holly Sugar Corporation, and
<br />the Colorado Fuel & Iron Co. The local interests described the
<br />extensive damages calliled, by the great flood of September 1904, for
<br />which they claim that a half a million dollars is a conservative estimate
<br />,for Trinidad. They called attention to the destruction of bridges
<br />which crippled transportation in that section of the country, as well
<br />as other extensive damag'es to the city. Those present indicated
<br />that they are fearful that another great flood might occur which may
<br />, cause a large loss of life. Also, the local interests claim that a,con-
<br />considcrable amount of water is lost during flood periods which, if
<br />regulated, could bo used for augmenting the present inadequate supply
<br />to the lands now under ditch. Residonts advise that the irrigation
<br />watcr now decreed is far in excess of that available.
<br />57. Generally, flood protection, particularly at Trinidad, and the
<br />conservation of flood flows for irrigation are desired. Interested
<br />parties suggeste,d that this could be accomplished by means of regul-
<br />tory dams, in Burro, Zarcillo, Lorencito, nnd Wet Canyons. It was
<br />nlso suggested that, by means of a small channel dam 011 Purgatoirc
<br />River and a connecting cnnal, flood 'waters could be storcd in a re-
<br />servoir located in Long Canyon near its mouth to augment the pres-
<br />ent inadequate water supply for irrigation. A report on the proposed
<br />irrigation and ilood'eontrol dams and data obta.ined from surveys
<br />made by the Civil Works AdminiEtration and the Federal Emergeney
<br />Relief Administration, dated January 193~l, was submitted. It was
<br />pointed out that, owing to the decline in coal mining and its related
<br />industries in reeent years, it has been neeessary for many of those
<br />formerly engaged in these industries to become either agrieulturists
<br />01' leave the loeality. Attention was invited to the fact that there
<br />had been an exodus from the watershed because of laek of suitable
<br />lands and water for profitable farming. The ,opinion was expressed
<br />that flood control improvements designed to capture floodwaters for
<br />irrigation needs would make more lands available for lucrative farm,
<br />ing, thus tending to stabilize the population of the basin, Others who
<br />are primarily interested in agricultural pursuits desire flood protec'
<br />tion to reduce the loss of farm lands oecasioned by caving banks or
<br />shifting of the river channel, and also to reduce the damages to their.
<br />irrigation systems and bridges which result from flood flows. The
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