WSPC00539

• File Number: 8530.300
• Description: Rio Grande Basin-Water User Groups and Conservancy Districts-Rio Grande Water Conservation District
• State: CO
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Water Division: 3
• Date: 7/20/1970
• Title: WCD-Rio Grande Water Conservation District-Corres Reports etc-1967-82-Preliminary Engineering Report for the Rio Grande Water Conservation District
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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reasonable administrative and physical safeguards should be built into esch
project, where feasible, to reduce any damage to a minimum.

The objective of all of the recommended projects is to increase the deliv~ry of
water across the State Line to satisfy the requirements of the Rio Grande Compact
in exchange for increased diversions.' from direct river flow principally for
irrigation purposes. Hopefully the increased diversions will maintain rech~rge
to the drainage projects so that diversions can be continued year after year,
this mayor may not be a valid conclusion.

It should be evident that before a thorough examination and evaluation of
possible projects and assignment of reasonable priorities can be made, financing
is needed for engineering, legal and administrative studies. Although it is not
listed as s project, a long range master plan is a very neccssary part of any
undertaking as extensive as water salvage within the Colorado portion of the
Rio Grande basin. The budgeting of finances should allow for sufficient funds of
high priority to permit adequate prior and continual planning.

The ideas and recommendations enumerated apparently represent the thinking of
the Board of Directora and also a considerable portion of the more ~ire~tly ef-
fected residents of the San Luis Valley. The projects seem reasonable ~nd log-
ical on the basis of whst has been done to date. It is conceivable that new
projects may be uncovered and some of the initial ideas rejected or modified as
a result of more detailed studies.

QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY

Colorado is now faced with the alternatives of meeting the demands of the
Compact or defending itself against a suit brought by the State of Texas and
New Mexico. If Colorado's 1968 administrative policies are continu~ in the
absence of compensatory relief measures, ~he welfare of the San Luis; Valley
residents and San Luis Valley economy are deatined to/suffer. Accordin~ to
recent studies and considerable publicity, the San Luis Valley, generally
speaking, is an economically depressed area even wi thout the loss of its
water.

All of the projects aswell as the planning and thc administration of any
projects require finances before any significant results can be obtained.
Enough is known that the Norton Drain and possibly some channelization
could be completed before the next irrigation season if funds were immediately
avai.lable.

The Rio Grande Compact was made by the State of Colorado and is an obligstion
thereof. The State of Colorado also granted water rights to its citizens prior
and subsequent to ratification of the Compact. Since ratification of the Com-
pact, Colorado for the most part has not administered the water in the rivers
in accordance with the Compact requirements until 1968, approximately 100 years
after the first appropriations of Rio Grande and Conejos River water. During
the last 100 years much money, time and energy have been invested in the San
Luis Valley on the basis of Colorado's history of permitting diversions of
water from the rivers.

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