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 recharge (14). Therefore, much of the canal "losses" cannot be
considered lost water but rather groundwater recharge.

Carriage losses also occur during transmission from the release
poi nt of the reservoi r to the headgate of the canal or ditch on the
Rio Grande River. These losses, estimated to be 10% of the total
release, were included in the simulated operational model used to
defi ne increased yi e1 d from the reservoi rs if requi red (Secti on D,
this chapter).

3. Diversion Requirements

Table IV~2 summarizes crop consumptive use. The gross consumptive

use needs by crop (in inches) are listed by month. The information on

crop requirements was obtained from the SCS (21, 22, 23).

Since effective rainfall satisfies a portion of the total volume
of water necessary for crop growth, the values in Table IV-2 were
adjusted using the monthly effective rainfall values of each area over
the past 31 years, thereby calculating the irrigation water demands to
sati sfy the consumptive use needs of the crop mi x in the servi ce
areas. These water demands for each major canal and ditch were used
in the simulated operational model described in Section D of this
Chapter. Typically, canals in the San Luis Valley take the available
water supply throughout the irrigation season. The water diverted in

IV - 3