WSPC02054

• File Number: 8064.100
• Description: Ute Tribes
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 9/1/1989
• Author: Harris Water Enginee
• Title: Ute Mountain Ute Tribe - Delores Project Irrigation - Small Reclamation Loan Application Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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UTE MOUNTAIN UTE TRIBE

~G51

DOLORES PROJECT IRRIGATION
SMALL RECLAMATION LOAN APPLICATION REPORT

CHAPTER 1
GENERAL INFORMATION

The Ute Mountain Ute Reservation encompasses an area of
about 500,000 acres in southwest Colorado, northwest New Mexico,
and southeast Utah. The main part of the reservation is located
in southwest Colorado where the reservation forms one quadrant
of the Four Corners Monument. The Tribal Town of Towaoc is
located in the upper middle of the Colorado portion of the
reservation, about 15 miles south of the City of Cortez. U.S.
Highway 666 runs north and south near Towaoc, connecting Cortez
to Sh1prock, New Mexico, on the Navajo Reservation in the
south.

The Mancos River is the primary river which traverses the
reservation, running from northeast to southwest where it joins
the San Juan River. Generally the Mancos River flows are return
flows from irrigation to the north of the reservation. The
river flows are usually minimal, except during spring runoff.
Navajo Wash also flows north to south, just to the east of
Towaoc, and is fed by return flows from irrigation to the north
of the reservation.

1. Relationship of Application to Indian Water Riqhts Settlement

This loan application to undertake the on-farm development
of 8,028 acres under the Dolores Project is an essential
component in the fulfillment of the "Colorado Ute Indian Water
Rights Settlement of December 10, 1986" and the "Colorado Ute
Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 1988" (P.L. 100-585, 102
stat. 2973). The essential facts in regard to the Settlement
and the critical nature of this loan application are the
fOllowing:

a. The Settlement provides the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe with
22,900 acre feet of irrigation water, 1,000 acre feet of
municipal and industrial water and 800 acre feet of fish and
wildlife water from the Dolores Project; as well as 26,300 acre
feet of irrigation water and 6,000 acre feet of municipal and
industrial water from the Animas-La Plata Project.

b.
list of

When President Carter included the Dolores Project on a
Reclamation Projects to be cancelled in 1977, the