Laserfiche WebLink
<br />00~)~ <br /> <br />CHAPTER IV_ PROBLEMS AND NEEDS OF THE AREA <br /> <br />The San Luis Valley possesses It highly developed ngriculturnl <br />et'onomy which is dependent upon the u,"uilubility of lldequlltc irri- <br />gation water supplies. Prc\-iolls investig-ut.iollS have e...tablished the <br />water needs of the '"alley, the feasibility of supplementing the existing <br />supply by construdion of a reservoir Oil the Rio Grunde ut the 'VR~on <br />"~heeI Gap site, llnd the continuing need fur dr'uinage of Closed Basin <br />lands to impro\-e the productivity of lands ill the :\los('u-Hooper urea. <br />They have Ilbn estuhlished the need for optimum slllvuge of waters <br />now being Ilonbeneficially consumed in the Vlllley to improve Colo- <br />mdo's status under the Rio Grnnde Compile! and to mnke ndditionnl <br />wuter supplies availahle for irrigation lIse within the Valley. <br />The principal opportunity for e{'onomicH.1 salntg-e of wuter in the <br />Vallev lies in the reduction of water losses within the Closed Basin <br />~uml; nrea. where unconfined ground waters, surflH'c runoff froll1 <br />tribulnry streulIlS, irrigation wast(.s and return flows. llud some <br />nrlesiun inflows, susceptible to sldnlge, urc presently lost through <br />nonbeneficinl e,"aporntion and trnnspil'lltion. Predous reports Hnd <br />the Rio Grande Compact. hll"C recognized the opportunities for wuter <br />stllvage tlint exist in the Closed Rusin. The re('cnt extended drought <br />has revealed the imprllcticnhility of sulvnging wnt<>r in the Closed <br />Basin by open drninnge ditches. This is emphasized by the lack of <br />control of wnter qunlity ,,"hen open dl'llin ditches nre used for water <br />salvnge. <br />Under the terms of the Rio Gl'llnde Compnet, Colorndo hl1.-; con- <br />sistentl\' b('en in n debit stlltllS since 1952. Studies show thnt. this <br />trend fi'rst st!lrted de,"eloping in 1949 when Colorndo enjoyed tl cre(lit <br />statuso At the end of 1961, the totul dehit was H261100 Here-feet. The <br />llnderdeli,oeries Ill. Lohatos have u,'erllged nhollt 59,200 Here-fret per <br />veal' f'ilH'e 1951. On the hnsis of this dt'bit. stntus, the StRtes of Texns <br />nnd Xew ~[exico "'ere unwilling to concllr in cOllstruction of the <br />'Vllgon ""heel Gnp Reservoir. which is needed to pn)\"ide more <br />lldeqllllte water supplies for the Yulley und other benefits. Thll;';, Il <br />primnry need of the Ynlley is to uehie,'(' eredit stutllS lindeI' the Rio <br />Gl'llllde Compllct. Studies hn'"e established ltHlt the most fu,'ornhle <br />opportunity for incr('llsing Colorado's CornpH.ct c!rli,"eries to the <br />extent ncces..<;;luy to offset existinJ! debits is through sulvage of wntf'rs <br />now IlOTdJelWficillllv consumed within the Closed Bllsin and delin'n' <br />of the sllh'aged waters to the Hio Grnnde. ' <br />Existing irri!!lltion in the Closed Busill requires the maintenance <br />of IlU' ground-wtlter table over mll('h of the llrell. Any salnlgt' methods <br />('ontemplated must he ~udl liS not to disturh the g'I'Olllld-wllter tHble <br />in the farminf!' aren, YE't must he ('IlPllhle of l1{'hiedng maximum <br />snlnH:~e ill areas where totnl snh'llge is desifl1ole. <br />The Ynlley i... onE' of the Innst i'mpoJ'tllnt duck production areas in <br />Colorndo and i:'l of importllllce in the .\":uinn:ll ~Iigl'lltory Rirtl ~Illn- <br />ll~('ment Program, It. :ll~tl i... tl fi:-,hing !tlld r('creation area of Illltional <br />:o:.i~llifi{,:lIH'P. It i:'l importllllt that UIlY pInlls for wuter :'lalnl~f' incl1lde <br />appropriate {'on~id('ration of works to protect llne! enhlltKe the fi:'lh, <br />wildlife, nnd renclltioll111 nduf's of the \"nlley. <br /> <br />(68) <br /> <br />\ <br />( <br />( <br />