Laserfiche WebLink
<br />. <br /> <br />3.0 ACTIONS TAKEN <br /> <br />3.1 COLORADO WATER CONSERVATION BOARD (CWCB) <br /> <br />Early in May 1987, the CWCB Flood Section informed State and <br />local officials of the high snow content and the possibility of <br />flooding in the San Luis Valley. Snow course readings in the <br />upper Rio Grande Basin indicated 200 percent of normal. This <br />above normal condition suggested flows of the Rio Grande <br />exceeding the channel capacity through several of the <br />communities below the Town of Del Norte. Determination of this <br />condition was made through use of flood prediction models such <br />as the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Snow-Tell and the <br />Colorado Division of Water Resources satellite-linked water <br />resources monitoring system. <br /> <br />Al though the <br />completed, it <br />crisis. All <br />Phases I r. II I <br />1990. <br /> <br />Phase I levee construction in Alamosa had been <br />could only offer partial protection during this <br />sections of the levee must be completed. and <br />and IV will not be finished until some time in <br /> <br />~-1 <br /> <br />During a May 1987 Flood Awareness meeting in Alamosa, officials <br />from the Rio Grande Water Conservation District, the San Luis <br />Valley Canal Company, the San Luis Valley Irrigation District <br />and the Rio Grande Dam owners contacted the CWCB concerning <br />Cleaning the irrigation ditches. The Colorado Division of <br />wildlife attended the initial meeting and expressed water <br />quality concerns with releasing flood water into San Luis lake. <br /> <br />, <br />.... <br /> <br />.~" <br />~ <br /> <br />3.2 PRIVATE DITCH OWNERS <br /> <br />......1 <br />... <br />.;-.-j <br /> <br />During the month of May 1987, private interests in the Valley <br />spent in excess of $25,000 in an attempt to rehabilitate the <br />drainage systems near the Town of Center. One farmer in the <br />area has reported fields that are now draining are being planted <br />with alfalfa successfully. Previous attempts by the farmers to <br />plant in these areas was impossible due to the maChinery getting <br />stuck in the fields from a high ground water table. <br /> <br />. i <br />i <br />w <br /> <br />"I <br />I <br />w <br /> <br />In addition to creating a potent:ial benefit for t:he immediat:e <br />flood threa t, the use of the pr i va t e money to rehabi I i ta te t:he <br />drainage systems will permit: t:he continued drainage of the <br />croplands so that: in future years t:he irrigat:ion ditches will be <br />in a bet:ter posit:ion to t:ake a full head of water during the <br />high water season. <br /> <br />3.3 RIO GRANDE WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT <br /> <br />The Rio Grande Water Conservation <br />one-tenth ($15,000) of its current: <br />rehabilitate the irrigat:ion drarnage <br /> <br />District allocated almost <br />budget: in an attempt to <br />systems. On May 8, 1987, <br /> <br />4136E <br /> <br />-J- <br />