PROJ00259

• Contract/PO #: C153424
• Contractor Name: Colorado River Water Conservation District
• Water District: 0
• Bill Number: XB 99-999
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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III. ijYDROLOGY AND WATER RIGHTS

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A. HydroloKY

1. Colorado River Basin

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The project area, which lies within the upper Colorado River
basin, is located immediately south of Rifle and Silt Colorado. The
flow of the Colorado River near Rifle is much larger than the flow
from the Creeks in the project area. Several major sub-basins of the
upper Colorado River contribute to flow in the river near Rifle
including the Roaring Fork, the Eagle River the Blue River, Muddy
Creek and the Fraser River.

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The upper Colorado River and its sub-basins have their head-
waters at high altitude, which produces a flow regime characterized by
large snowmelt runoff in May, June and July. Following peak periods
the runoff gradually receeds as soil water, groundwater and reservoir
water drains from the system. Minimum flows usually occur during
January or February when most of the basin water is frozen.

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There are many small irrigation reservoirs in the basin and a
few large multipurpose reservoirs. The major reservoirs are:

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RESERVOIR NAME

MAXIMUM CAPACITY (acre-feet)

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Granby Reservoir
Shadow Mountain Reservoir
Williams Fork
Willow Creek Reservoir
Green Mountain Reservoir
Dillon Reservoir
Homestake Reservoir
Ruedi Reservoir

Total

465,600
17,860
96,820
9,060
152,000
261,300
43,600
103,900
1,150,140

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The total storage capacity of these reservoirs is more than
40% of the annual average (1949-1983) historical flow of the Colorado
River near Cameo of 2,690,000 acre-feet. Most of the major reservoirs
are used to regulate flow for transbasin diversions. During the
period 1973 - 1983 the major transbasin diversions averaged 350,100

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III-l

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