PROJ00159

• Contract/PO #: C153305
• Contractor Name: Dolores Water Conservancy District
• Water District: 0
• County: Dolores
• Bill Number: XB 99-999
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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Montezuma Water Company serves the farming communities along Highway 666 as well

as rural areas north and south of the proposed "Rim" treatment plant site. The

supply is diverted and treated for the company by the town of Dolores and is

available throughout the year.

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D. WATER QUALITY:

Water samples from the Dolores River have been collected and analyzed by both

the Bureau of Reclamation and the Colorado Department of Health. Results of

the sampling program conducted by the Bureau of Reclamation from 1953-66 are

listed in Table 42 of the "Dolores Project - Definite Plan Report", Appendix B)./

Water quality parameters analyzed by the Colorado Department of Health between

1969 and 1975 included various heavy metals and toxic elements. This data was

utilized in the bureau's tabulated summary and discussion of the water quality

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data available for the Dolores River,- which is reproduced in the Appendix as

Table A-l.

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Judging from the results of the testing programs, the project water would appear

to be of high quality, potentially suitable for municipal or domestic uses.

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The heavy metals and toxic substances, where detectable, were found to exist at

concentrations below those recommended for drinking water. However, the highest

iron concentration encountered did slightly exceed the recommended maximum con-

taminant level (O.3mg/l).

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The Dolores River water is also of a high physical quality, having no taste or

odor problems, and relatively low turbidity levels for a surface water supply.

With some amount of sedimentation taking place in the reservoir, turbidity

levels in the water extracted for treatment could be further reduced. Likewise

the peaks in turbidity resulting from heavy runoff may be levelled out.

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Certain microbiological organisms present in the samples are indicators of

man's activitiea upstream. Treated wastewater effluent from the Town of Dolores

is assumed to be discharged into the Dolores River upstream of McPhee Reservoir.

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