WSPC02263

• File Number: 8541
• Description: San Luis Valley Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Water Division: 3
• Date: 2/12/1962
• Author: G E Stoeber
• Title: San Luis Valley Project - Closed Basin Drain - 1959-1962 - "The Valley Courier",Alamosa Co - Letter to the Editor, "Well Project will Deplete Water"
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: News Article/Press Release

This bppeared in ''The Valley Courl~rft, Alanos., Colorado, February 12, 1962.

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let tors to the Editor.
Says Veil Project Will Deplete Vater

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Oear Ed i tor:

Why Is our Rio Granda dto!blt 6S0,OCD acre ,..t and why shotlld the Closed 8.5 In be
responsible for debit del Ivory?

Colorado fa! led to see to pollc.lng the river to lUke sur. the Compet;t delivery
wes~. The ~ter users diverted the water to their ~ use which ~s I
vlol.tlon of the Compact. Color-'o did nothing ebout It, so wat.r us.rs kept
divert incJ to tho anaunt of 650,000 Kr. f.t debit.

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New Hoxlco and Texas stood by, not puulng the squeeze on Color.oo until this
debit reKhod the great -.ount of 650.000 ecr. feet. This ~Id fill the Rio
Grande Reservoir thirteen tlNI.

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New fiIlxlc.o and Te.Qs tt.ve heel their eyet Of'l the ..n nnqe str'aM and the Closed
Bas In ever s Inc.e the Cofnpact COMe Into t.... ......109. COloredo....s able to keep the
Closed 8asln out of the comnlt.-nu of the CoInpaet. Ibw the Compact CormllSlon
has pulled the eomp.ct of the pigeon hol. end the lower states are pushing
Colorado for the wat~r It failed to dellWlr.

Wator dlvorted f~ the Ala Grande Alv.r to the Closed lasln and put to beneficial
use glvos leg81 title to wat.r on the l.-d to which It Is attached by a Color~
decree.

Therels n0thlng that says the ~t.r ~t return to the Rio Grende River. when they
have pLdPQd 100,000 acro foet from tho closed Basin. We have to dellvar rror. than
the same -.munt to suy even with the stre_ froM the Nst range and the Rio
Gr.nde River, besides the evapor.tlon losses.

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The Colorado Undergrounf:t W.cer Io.rd OKld fie 169 ..lis """'Ich will depl.t. a 100,000
kro foct of ~ter from the undergr0un4 lak. e<<h yMr. It .ould take 507 will In
the fannl"9 area of the serne C'~lty 0' those In the project to deplet. the s..
MOunt of water. C

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Would the Uncterground Wat.r "'rd give S07 per"lllts for drll' Ing new ..I h In the
faf'"1ll\lng .rea? The "".,.rs hey. depl.ted out underground ...t.r tryln~ to 9r'Otf crops
and stay In business.

Wacer pumped In the "nnlng are. een be roIIted thr.. or four tl....s before It Is depl.ted.

The plPplng of 100,000 acre f..t from this project ..uld cut production of livestock
and crops In Saguache end AI...,.. counties below..n.t alre-.:ly has been cut hy drought
In the past h.lIve years. In a period of thr.. to flv. years 'r'OIII the ci,.. th.y
start to pump a 100,000 acre 'eet. the entlr. Valley will su'f.r. Nolonly the fa~r..
but tho t~s and business., ~ depend on t~. '.~r..

G. E. Stoeber, Hooper