PROJ00414

• Contract/PO #: C153326
• Contractor Name: Fruitland Mesa Water Conservancy District
• Contract Type: Grant
• Water District: 0
• County: Montrose
• Bill Number: XB 99-999
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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CHAPTER I
GENERAL

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Section 1: Purpose and Authorization

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The feasibility study was carried out to develop fully the water
resources available in the Crystal Valley and the Onion Valley by: (1)
providing holdover storage in the Gould Reservoir, (2) increasing the
size of the Gould Reservoir, and (3) providing additional water from
other sources within the two valleys that have not yet been exploited.
These measures would ensure a more dependable water supply for irriga-
tion of lands within the Fruitland Mesa Conservancy District. The
study was authorized by the Colorado Water Conservation Board through
Contract No. C153326, Fund No. 4008, G/L No. 52367 with PRC Engineer-
ing Consultants, Inc., to provide the required engineering services.

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Section 2: Background of Study

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A feasibility study for the Fruitland Mesa Project was done by the
erstwhile U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, now known as the Water and Power
Resources Service (W.P.R.S.), and a report on the study was issued in
February 1962 [l]. In the project plan presented in the report, it
was proposed that the waters of three tributaries of the Gunnison
River, namely, Soap, Curecanti, and Crystal Creeks, should be provided
for the Fruitland Mesa Project area for irrigation diversion. It was
proposed that Soap Park Reservoir be built on the Soap Creek with
water released diverted to the Crystal Creek through proposed Black
Mesa Consuit. On its way, the conduit would intercept the Curecanti
Creek and collect and convey the required flows of this stream to
Crystal Creek. The conduit water and the local flows of the Crystal
Creek and its tributaries would be diverted to the Crystal Valley
ditch, a proposed Fruitland Canal, and the existing Cattleman's ditch.
The Gould Reservoir, which regulates flows of the Iron Creek and

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