PROJ00113

• Contract/PO #: FS0032X
• Contractor Name: San Miguel Project USBR 1966
• Contract Type: Miscellaneous
• Water District: 0
• County: San Miguel
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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Recreation developments would be provided at all three project reservoirs
as recommended by the National Park Service. The greatest recreation
potential ,muld be provided at the Radium Reservoir. The Saltado and
Naturita P..eservoirs "ould be in steep.Halled canyons Hhere boat-launching
ramps Hould not be feasible. l.and required for reclamation purposes
liould be adequate for recreation use at these tHO reservoirs, but at
"allium Reservoir an additional 260 a'cres Hould be needed.

The National Park Service's preliminary appraisal of recreation costs
and benefits at the project reservoirs is as follows:

Snltado Naturita Radium Total
Construction Cost $103,000 $32,000 $268,400 $403,400
LD.lld .;:~cq1Jisi tion 13 . 000 13.000
Total $103,000 $32,000 $231,400 $416,400
. ..'.ut'lual Oli&R Cas t $ 7,325 $ 2,550 $ $ 30,185
19,810
Annual Berlefits 16,200 3,800 20,000 40,000

The tabulated data do not provide a complete basis for the comparison
of recreation benefits and costs. _ A substantial part of the cost
would be incurred for parking facilities for fishermen, and fishing
benefits are not claimed in the recreation appraisal but are included
in the fish and wildlife benefits.

T"e Corps of Engineers concluded that appreciable flood control benefits
would be realized from operation of Saltado Reservoir as presently
planned, with seasonal evacuation of conservation storage based on
forecasts of snow melt inflow. Permanently assigned storage space for
flood control would not be economically justified by the damages
prevented. The Corps made no evaluation of the effects of Naturita
and Radium Reservoirs on flood control but undoubtedly th~y would be
inconsequential since the reservoirs would not be on the main stream
channels. Benefits from the control of snowmelt floods are estimated
by the Corps at an average of $62,000 annually and represent the
measurable value of flood damages that would be prevented downstream
from Saltado Dam. These benefits are incorporated in the project
economic analysis. Other important flood control benefits not
susceptible of monetary evaluation would accrue from project operation.

The Public Health Service concluded that water quality in the San Miguel
River Basin would not be significantly altered by the San Miguel Project.
Irrigation returns would cause some increase in mineral concentrations
in the Dolores River 'during the irrigation season. Since ther~ are
no present or expected beneficial uses of river water below the project
to the Colorado River, there is no apparent need for project storage
for water quality control. The project's effect on quality of the
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