PROJ00486

• Contract/PO #: C153502
• Contractor Name: Santa Maria Reservoir Company
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 0
• County: Hinsdale
• Bill Number: SB 88-30
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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Water is carried to the SMRC shareholders through two canals main-
tained by other companies (Rio Grande Canal and the r,lonte Vi sta
Canal). Once in the canal s, the water may be freely transferred bet-
ween shareholders; therefore, water stored in the reservoirs may bene-
fit all water users serviced by the irrigation canals. The water is
used for irrigation, including recharging groundwater aquifers relied
on for irrigation by SMRC stockholders.

In addition to the use of the reservoirs for storage under decrees
of the SMRC, an agreement has been reached wi th the Ri 0 Grande Wa ter
Users Association, the San Luis Valley Irrigation District (the owners
of Ri 0 Grande Reservoi r l, and the Colorado State Engi neer for the use
of storage space in Santa Maria and Continental reservoirs in aid of
Rio Grande Compact administration purposes. The agreement works to
minimize over-deliveries to New Mexico, Texas, and increases the bene-
ficial use of water in Colorado. A copy of this agreement is included
in Appendix B. By the Agreement, the SMRC makes reservoir space
available to the State Engineer for out-of-priority storage. If
needed for Compact purposes, the water is delivered to the river for
the benefit of downstream states. Regulation of river flows by use of
the reservoirs allows the State Engineer to meet Compact obligations
with less loss of water to Colorado appropriators. If not needed for
Compact purposes, water stored reverts to water users on the river
system in accordance with the agreement. In 1981 Wheeler & Associates
estimated the annual benefit of this program at 25,000 acre-feet.

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