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<br />.... " <br /> ,. 1 <br /> .' , <br />.. <br /> <br />SUMMARY OF THE NORTON DRAIN PROJECT <br /> <br />Prepared for the Rio Grande Water Conservation District <br /> <br />June 24, 1970 <br /> <br />At the request of the Board of Directora this aummary of the Norton Drain <br />Project has been written. This should serve as a rsference when future <br />drainage projects are planned. <br /> <br />The study has been divided into five <br />complete the project; 3) Costs; 4) <br />recommendations for future projects. <br />in that order. <br /> <br />parts: 1) History; 2) Work done to <br />Results; and 5) Observations and <br />The following summary will be presented <br /> <br />1. History of the Project: <br /> <br />Early in 1968 the Board of Directors of the Rio Grande Water Conservation <br />District gave the Norton Drain Project top priority among the projects <br />to be studied. This project was chosen because: a) It appeared to be <br />one which would have a favorable cost/benefit ratio; b) It would serve <br />a dual purpose in that the land through which the drain passed was <br />water logged and badly in need of a drainage syatem, thus making the <br />project desirable to the adjacent land owners; c) A ,supply of water <br />at the upper terminus was guaranteed from the Bountiful Waste ditch; <br />d) The amount of water thought to be available was of sufficient quantity <br />to make an ideal pilot drainage project to be used for study of future <br />projects; and e) The salvaged water resulting from the project would <br />be real evidence of the efforts of the San Luis Volley water users and <br />the State of Colorado to meet the obligations of the Rio Grande Compact. <br /> <br />In April 1968 the Board of Directors authorized a preliminary engineering <br />study. The study was completed in May and indicated the project was <br />both feasible and desirable. Coat of excavation of the Main Branch <br />was estimated at $60,000 and the Board immediately began to try to <br />locate funds to finance the work. At this time it was believed that <br />Conejos County end private land owners adjacent to the proposed drain <br />would pay for the necessary structures. <br /> <br />That summer, when it became apparent that funds could not be obtained <br />for construction of the extensions in 1968, cleaning of the existing <br />drain was started. Cleaning was completed for approximately six of <br />the six and one-half miles of existing drain and the project wae in- <br />active until summer of 1969. <br /> <br />0593 <br />