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I 5 I I This belief results from representations firmly made to them at the time the Compact was entered intb. The representation made was that administration of the schedules contained therein would not adversely affect their full utilization of the river to the extent of the water rights decreed up until tha t time. I I Individllal appropriators make management dcdsions and plan their operations according to the volume of water they anticipate to be available. Generally speaking, throughout the San Lnia Va II ey, meadow lands require wa ter through- out the growing srason exrept during two to three weeke just preceding and during haying, alfalfa rcquires water from Hay to November, cereal grains are watered from Hay to mirl--July or August first, and potatoes are irrigated from mid--June to September first. I I RECOMMENDED SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM I The Roo Grande \,a ter Conserva tion District has becn formed to deal with this and other related WIlter resource lIIllnogemcnt problems in the Sou Luis Valley. As 0 result of a meeting of the Board of Directors of the llio Gronde Water Consel'Votion District held July 8, 1968, a tentativc schednlc of water salvage projects was made up to be studied as time und funds would permit. The projects in thc approximate order of priority are as follows: 1. Cleaning of cxisting Norton Drain and extension thereof to present terminus of Bountiful Waste Ditch at the Sanford Canal. (Plste 1) 2. Channelization of three to four miles of the San Antonio River. (Plate 1) 3. Channelization of approximAtely 15 to 20 miles of the Rio Grande from Alamosa eouthword beyond its confluence with the Conej08 River. (Plate 1) 4. Channelization Dnd droinage of Rock Creek. (l'late 2) 5. Closed Basin Drain. (Plate 1) I I I I I It is interesting to note that in the two years siuce this list of priority projects was proposed by the Board of Directors ef the Rio Grande Water Conservation District the following progress has been made, 1. The Norton Drain projcct is completed except for cleaning one-nalf mile of the former drain. This project was enlarged to include all structures at county roads and on private property. Also an additional branch of the drain was extended 2! miles west to intercept water developed by the North Sanford Drsin. Project costs were shared by the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservution Service, State of Colorado and Rio Grande Water Conservation District. Total costs amounted to approximately $200,000. I The preliminary estimate of water to be salvaged by this project appears to be conscrvative os present flows are betwcen 20 and 40 c.f... and no drainage laterals have been startcd. st~O