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<br />1\)'* ,to: Friday, Feb. 15, 1963 Page 11
<br />,W.t1ti-ecr1or 56.75 in uuu. uu~ct nnd 67,000 acre!'! of prl...nle land.
<br />'llnd Indlrcet benefits for eneh SI Installations deep wells and laterals.
<br />in cost, figured onT a lOO-year The list of installations for the The first of the eIght years would
<br />period. prtlject Includes: be spent in ad\'nnce planning. I
<br />The study also ouUlnes the so- 1. About 129 dC'cp wells and the second. operator's hcadquar
<br />cial and economic impact of the pumps. lers woUld be built. designs com.
<br />project. After Colorado 3chicws 2. A H-mile main con\'eyanec pleted and specifications prepared,
<br />deblt.fr('(' status, the salvaged wat- channel running from just below one \\'ell drilled and operated.
<br />er used to maintain Compact dc- :\Ushak Lakes to the Rio Grande. In the third year, St:lge 1 con
<br />Ih'er:!('s and to pro\'idC' additional 3, An II-milC' auxiliary convey- stl'1.lction would be completl!'d and
<br />irrIgation water could be expected ance channel e a s I of the main eight wells drilled :md operated.
<br />to increase by $3,3.6,000 annually channel and southeast of San Luis In the following five years, wor"
<br />the economic prosperity or the L3ke. would continue by stages. After
<br />are a. This Includes additional 4. A half-mile channel betweC'n each group ot wells was drHled
<br />'wages, materials and profits which Sail Luis Lake and the main cban- and operated. d:lta securC'd would
<br />,would be realhcd from a larger nel, to keep water in the lake at be wed In de!lgning the ncxt
<br />laIld more stabilized larm Irriga- 3. conslant ievel and permit tem- group,
<br />tion water supply, porary storage of salvaged waters The stage de\'elopment plan c<llls
<br />Project rlan'J if necessaI')'. for construction of inslallalions at
<br />The Closed Basin project would 5. About 92 miles of well-field the south end of the project first,
<br />,haVe three phases: The water !;:II. laterals to deliver pumped water and mo~'ing on norlh In succeedln
<br />l\'age projcct itself, the Mishak to lhe channels. stages.
<br />)L.akes National WUdUfe Refuge 6. Highway and uilroad cross- Till" plan of operation provide.
<br />l3.nd San Luis Lake recreaUonal Ings, brldJ:es and access /lnd oper- for keepinR continuous records of
<br />"faciUties. aUng roads. the water table level from dilta
<br />, Tot3.1 estimatcd cost Is $8.340,- 7. !\1inlmum rpcreational facUi. provided by the perimeter obser~
<br />000, of which $414,000 would be lies at San Luis Lake. valion wells. The an'a of influenc
<br />,for ~lishak Lakes and $150.000 for of the well fIeld could be control
<br />San Luis Lake. Annual operating 8. De\'elopment of ;\1ishak Lakes. led by variable operation of well.
<br />'cost of the salvagC' project is $165.- 9. :'.Ieasures to Improve the fish along lhe perimeter of the field
<br />000. After construction, the l\lIsh. habitat In thc cOn\'('yance {'hannels to keep salvage water pumpl
<br />k and S3n Luis Lake projects 3nd to aer3te the pumped ground from ad\'ersely afie{'ting adjoinin
<br />would be turned over to agencies waters. land.
<br />oth"r Ih,n tho Bu-,u of n__I,. 10. Power transmission lines. TI h
<br />~ "." ''''''' Ii" i h d lC report statl.'S t at this meth-
<br />mation for operation. ' . n opcr3t ng ea quarters cd of op<'r3.lion would preclude
<br />n('<'Ir San Luis Lake.
<br />The area on which the water The report proposes that the .'<.lllvaging the full amount of wtlter
<br />,sah'age system .....ould be insl:llled Cederal government {'On5truct. op- possible from the perimetcr oI the
<br />extends Crom the :o.Ilsbak Lake crate nnd maintain the water sal. well field. sin{'e the wnt<,r table,
<br />'area (northeast of Center) east \'age progr3m. However, should it' there couid not be lowered to the-
<br />l.1{'ross s.n. 17, then runs soulh to latcr become possible to Ilse sal. full eight reet.
<br />'San Lui!l Lake, on soulh to the pro- vaged WOlter Cor Valley IrriJ;aUon. Recreallon
<br />posed Alamosa National Wlldilfe the water users would be expected The Closed Basin proj('ct would
<br />('(uge and into the Rio Grande to reimburse the J:"overnment for provide lit San Luis Lakc an ac~
<br />a little west of Its junction wilh benefits derin'd from use oC the cess road and parking .:Irea, launeh-
<br />Alamosa Crl!<'k. An are.:l east oC wnter. Ing ramp, trailer p~rking are.:l. boat
<br />San Luis Lake Is also included. The plan l>rovldes for ob~erva~ harbor development, water supply,
<br />:: The pl:m of development pro- tion wells alon,q the perimeter ot sewerage S)'stem, picnic arc:!, Ienc.
<br />,vides for year-around pumping to Ihe project to determinE' what d- Jng, planting and seeding, signs:
<br />maint:dn ground water levels at fect opcration oC the projcct is and barriers.
<br />least {>ight reet ~Iow the- surface Jla\'fn,~ on tbe water t:lbl('. It is expected that addition::!l
<br />o\'er an area of 108600 acres. This Work in Stalt:~s facilities sue h as campgrounds, Ii
<br />,would provide 3bout 86,500 acre- The plan of development pro- trailer park <!e\'elopments, admln.
<br />fc('t of water annually. An 'addi. vides that th(' work be dont' in Istrative headquarters and resi-
<br />'tional 15,200 acre-feet .....ould come stages over eight ~'ears, This is dence. marina and olher improvc-
<br />from providing outlets for surface intended to rcasonably establish, me-nts which ha\'e bel'n reeom-
<br />,water. prior to installation of etlch stage, mend.("d by National Park Service
<br />To .\cQulre Land that the preceding stage is being would be provided at non-fcderal
<br />Because the water salvage pro- operated without ad\'erse effect on expens('.
<br />ject would iower the ground water adjoining land. By providing a const,lOt water
<br />table OH'r the- are.., the report re- The five st3ges are: supply In 5..1D Luis L3kc and a
<br />commends that Ihe federal govern- 1. Elghl miles of main channE'l: hl'avler now in the lower reaches
<br />-ment acquire land within the sal- st.ut east side channel; 27 deep of the Rio Gr3nde, the project is
<br />I\'age area and a "buffer zone" on wells :md laterals; operator's head- ('xpected to proYide better (ishln~
<br />the etlst to pre\'ent ad\'erse effects quarters; :o.rishak Lakes. and thus ,ereater <lnnlJal expenrli-
<br />on surrounding land, Con~'("yanee 2. Complete easl sid!'! {'h3nnel: tures Cor this sport. The hunting
<br />channel and power line rl~hts-oI- 42 drep wel1s and 13tl."rals. around San Luis L.1ke .....ould also
<br />wa~' would also be acquired. 3. Build J9~f! mill''> of the main be better_
<br />The proposed land acquisition channel; San Luis Lake {'onncctin~ It mI~bt also be possible to es.
<br />in('ludcs 61,000 acres of state fand, {'hann!'l: 12 derp wells and bter. t"bll.<;h trout hatching and rearing
<br />which lhe report says shouid be als: ~an Luis L3.ke recreation..1 fal"ilities In the Clos('d nasln ar!'a.
<br />providC'd at no cost to the federai facilities. with the provisIon of suit..ble wat..'
<br />govcrnment as Colorado's sh.:ne of -t. Another II miles of thl' m3in l'r from the salnJ:e project.
<br />_the project. The 132,Ooo..aere totai channel: :?Odr-ep wells and 13trT31s'1 Repiacement of \INlands In thc-,
<br />~a.Iso includes 3.000 acres of federal a. Complete m a I n channel: 28 Basin by the p!'oposed :'If Ish a 1<:
<br />. - ~
<br />I Lakes project would offset loss of
<br />,-waterfowl hunting in the BasIn.
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<br />Monte Vista,
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<br />Colo., Journal . " ....
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