WSPC04091

• File Number: 8541
• Description: San Luis Valley Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Water Division: 3
• Date: 7/1/1982
• Title: San Luis Valley Project Closed Basin Division - 1982 - The San Luis Valley Project, Closed Basin Division, Facts and Concepts about the Project
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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THE SAN LUIS VALLEY PROJECT - CLOSED BASIN DIVISION

FACTS AND CONCEPTS ABOUT THE PROJECT

U . S. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION

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I. BACKGROUND

In many areas ef the West, t~e start ef a modern agricultural ecenemy was the
direct 'result of Federal Government invelvement. Agencies like the Bureau ,of
Reclamation (Bureau) built dams, reserveirs, and canal systems and fermed a
partnership with'the private secter to. premete the natienal geals ef settling
and develeping the arid west (see sectien V:E). In the San Luis Valley ef
Colerado, hewever, development waS accemplished by individuals and private
cempanies acting almest cempletely witheut Federal assistance.

At the present point in time, the San Luis Valley faces a cemplex and difficult
situatien. This situatien has been described by Celerade State University
ecenemists in the fellowing way:

The San Luis Valley stands, at
Because ef the existing water
the superimpesed legal system
has arisen among the peeple.
life.

the crossroads ef its ecenomic future.
distributien system in the Valley and
and legal censtraints, a deep insecurity
Suspicien and ecenemic fear are facts of

Presently, the Valley is a patchwerk ef lecal censervancy districts,
,ditch cempanies, drainage districts, water users associatiens, etc.,
ali interested in pretecting their ewn areas ef cencern at the expense
ef any ether person er greup which might be deemed a threat to their
interest. The specific cenflicting greups primarily break dewn into.
the Cenejos River surface' users vs. the Rio Grande River surface
users, the Cenejo River surface users vs. the ground water users in
the Cenejes Basin, surface users vs. greund water users, the "clesed
basin" vs. the res,t of the Valley, municipalities vs. Valley water
users, the (Closed Basin Preject) vs. Subirrigators, Celorade vs"
New Mexico, Texas and the Republic ef Mexico., etc.

With the (Bureau ef Reclamation Clesed Basin preject) beginning, it is
possible that there is eneugh water present in the Valley to fulfill
existing water requirements and interstate cemmitments, witheut
substantially harming the existing pattern ef water use in the Valley.
But to appreach this objective, a spirit ef ceeperatien and trust must
be develeped . . . ." (quoted frem "San Luis Valley Water Problems;
A Legal Perspective," by C. E. Radesevich and R. W. Rutz, Celerade
State University available as a Natienal Technical Infermatien
Service Reprint (Report No.. PB 295918) U.S. Department ef Cemmerce/
Springfield, VA 22161).

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