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<br />
<br />CoseifBasTn'Development
<br />Report Of Bureau Outlined
<br />
<br />,. JrrlgaUon diver
<br />51005 from. t bo"'fl' Grnnd('.
<br />Salvage Water
<br />The report lists the follow!n
<br />tYPl'!i of water a\'nllllblc (or SOlI:
<br />vage: I
<br />1. Ground water. lIydrographs 01
<br />wells show that during the non~
<br />"rowing senson, when there 'I
<br />JitUe or no CV3potr:msplratio~
<br />elevation or the water table rlsc.
<br />rapid!)', During the ~rowlng sca~
<br />son. ('Icvatlon dlminlshcll, as non~
<br />produclive plants use the water.'
<br />2. Surhcc ......,t('r now dissipated
<br />by noobenenclal consumptlvt.' use
<br />and cvapOrlltlon Crom free water.,
<br />surfaces and saturated soHs. ~
<br />3. Flood flows.
<br />4. Overllow from Hussell L.,kes,:
<br />whil'h .....ould provld(' water for the.
<br />Mishak Lakes rduge, not for 531-
<br />YaRe. I
<br />5. Drain flow from irrl~at('d'
<br />are:!,,>. when this is not used fOr:,
<br />irrigation.
<br />Two Points 6, Dig and Lltt]e Sprlnlt Crerks,
<br />whose discharge reaches the sal-:
<br />Till' BurNIU's devC'lopml'nt plan ~ d I th 1-' b ~
<br />docs not menUon two points con- va e> area ur ng c e ruary I
<br />:'Itay period. .
<br />slti(>rl"d important by Valley wllter 7. Heductlon of ('\laporatlon by.
<br />users; Th.1t the downstream states draining arCllS of fr('e surfllcc wat
<br />would acquire no right to Closed ('r and lowering thl' water tnb]e
<br />Basin watrf and l"ould not force In soli saturatC'd areas,
<br />Colorado tl) ('ontinll(' operation be-
<br />yond the point nl.'cded to satisfy Walt'f QUlIllty
<br />Compact ~quiremt'lIts; lInd thllt Ground watt'f In the s<llv/l{:e art'a
<br />nothing In the project he con. northwest of H('ad Lok(' ls of poor
<br />strut'{! 11'1 ('stabll~hln,l{ a link be.- qunlity ncar the $urfoc{', improves
<br />I d r tin quality with dl'plh. Pumping
<br />tween groum an sur ace w... er, this area at seh'cUvE:' ]ocaUons ....111"
<br />ThE:'se two points Wl"rt' left out of
<br />the plnn bl'cnus~ they w!'rl' con- yield water of near Compact Qual~'
<br />sidC'r('d to b(' itt'ms which should Hy. .
<br />be co\'ercd by fedrf31 legls!lltion Ground watl'r in sa]vagt' arrll~-
<br />north of U.S. 160 and ea!>t of the
<br />authorbinR tht' project. Closed Basin sump, south of Sanr
<br />Und('r terms of tht' Rio Grandt'
<br />Compaet, Colorado has been de- Luis Lake lInd wt'sl of the irrl-
<br />Ih."rln, /ln ...nnual 3verare of 59,. J!ated ha>' meadows Is of bt'tter
<br />than Compnet qunllty.
<br />200 ...cre.fl'l"t of \\'/ltl'f less th...n By ,"ixln~ wntt'r from tht' two
<br />tht' Compllct requires, and at tht' sources, watl"r mecting Compact~
<br />pnd of 1961 Color;Jdo's debit was requlrl'mrnLo; could be obtainl'd, >
<br />620,100 nert'-fl't't. ExlstlnJ; Irrlgatlon In the Closed
<br />On lhe basis of this debit, Tcxas Basin requires maintenance of thl'~
<br />and New Medeo arc unwlllinJ; to ground waler tllblt' over much of~
<br />agrt'e to comtruction of Wagon tht' arell. Any 5alva~e methods eon-
<br />Wheel Gap ReSl'rvoir, which Is templated must not disturb tht'
<br />needed to provide morC! adC!Qu;'!te l;Jhle In farming art'/ls. This rl'-
<br />watt'r SUpplies for the Valley, qulrem('nt precludl"s t.rlpplng ;Jrtt'-
<br />Studies h a v e established that sl;'!n <lqUIft'fS lying underneath thel
<br />the most favorable opportunity for flrsl confining clay layer below thel
<br />Increasing Colorado'.!! Compact dt'- Basin floor. This layer starls about
<br />lIvt'fies Is through salvage of .....al- 61 fet't down, nnd Is topped by lay-'
<br />('rg now nonbcnl'fkblly comumM erg of Rravel /lnd otbt'r pt'f\'!ous
<br />within the Closcd n~~ln nnd de- mat('rial. Only these upper la)'ers
<br />livery of the sah.aged Willers to would b(' pumped.
<br />the Rio Grilnde. Ho\\"e\"c1', part of the ground
<br />Thl' Compact reco!:nizes t hili" wntcr in the C]osl'd Basin com.:>s'
<br />po~sibiUly ,1nd Ju'O\'ldt>s that Colo- from up.....ard movement from the'
<br />rado wllJ be credit.:>d wllh such. deeper nqulft'r. Lowl'ring of lht'
<br />C}os('d Basin water, providin~ It watt'r table hy pumping- would r!'-
<br />meC'ts certain qua lit., standards. I dul'c the pressure on this ...quU('r,
<br />Ua..ln Il('st'ribt'd I wllh /I consequent slight inert'<lse
<br />Th!' Closed Dnsln In the norlh- In the upward movement. Thf' In-
<br />ern pnrt of tilt' Valley has a draln-I-cre:lse would not have- n dlscl'rn'
<br />able area of nbout 2,940 square Ible cfft'ct outsldt' the sah'age ar"a.
<br />mj]l'~, whIch Is st'parated :It the '[ ,h'llllable WlIll'r --- r
<br />soulhl'rn ('Ofl from ti1l' Rio Grande A sUI"\'('y ('xtending from 11:.03(,
<br />wntt'n;hed hy 11 low alluvial di\'idc" through 1960 shows thert' wnu]d
<br />From 1!J36 thfOU~h 19:i9. the j bt' a mean or 101,iOO acre.feN of
<br />':I,\'('ra!:1' w31('r supply in the Val- ground and li"urfae(') ....-al('r nvall-
<br />Icy, not (,olllltln~ preclplllltinn 00 ah]e for salva,l{e from thr C]o~l'd
<br />t!tt' VIIIII'Y floor. was 1,4fi6,400 B;u;in. Thl' rellOrt proposes that
<br />acre.feet per ye...r_ Of this, -11 per 5,300 Ilcrp-f('ct of this ,l{o to the
<br />cent eoml'S from th(' Rio Grande plann('d Alamosa National Wild.
<br />n('a1' Dpl Norlf', 23 pcr cenl rrom life Refug!', ]('avlng !l-l.400 acre-
<br />Ihe Condos River hasln. 10 per ft't't for otht'r II.SCS.
<br />cent from west sldr. trlbuhrles, 8 Thr. r('port hsts potential U!lf'S
<br />p!'r ~nl frolO ('ast side tributaries for thIs water under three contli-
<br />,1nd 18 j'l('r ct'nt from tht' Closed tlons;
<br />Ha"ln, 1. While Colorndo [s In dl'bit
<br />Inflow into the Clo~ed nasin St,111lS und(-'r the Compa....t. MI]V;)'::::-,:
<br />a\'l'f;\[::('S GIG !l00 acrl>-fl'et per year, cd W:lt(,f would he uSf'd to meet:
<br />Of this, 458,000 :lcre.fl'd come ,1nnua] Compact eommitm('n!s and
<br />.from llatlJrill stream'l. 11,000 from payoff the> deh[t.
<br />!>prlm!'~, fiO,noO from nrles[an wells 2, After thc debit j.~ pilid off fin:
<br />Ilnd 287,300 from Rio Grande dl- :lhoUI 35 }'C/lrsJ, around 59.200'
<br />\'er~lons. acr('-f(,l't of wntl'r would gn each
<br />Th(' part of thf' inflow not con. }.(,Isr 10 mel"t Compact eommil-
<br />5uml'd by t'lthl'T h('ot'rlciill or non. menls tlOrI. the rest could h!" w:('d
<br />h(-'Jlrfiri;JI ust's moves tnward Ihl" for Irrl!:alton. throtl]:thout the Rio
<br />Ihal.....t'~ (n:llurnl \\"11I('r courst') and' Gr~nde DiviSIOn. During tht' non-.
<br />Slimp of the Closed Basin, wherl"lrrH!'atloll sl'nson, snlvagt' water
<br />it Is disslpall'd by evapotr,1nsplra. ('ou]d be I/$I"d to rt'plt'nl~h tht'
<br />lion (e\'apOflltion and plant tran'l- shallow ,qroundwatcor under sub.
<br />plrntion), IrrJ'f.lted Jand~ In lhe> Aasin,
<br />The portion or tht' slllvngl' llfl'a . Comparison of .~ctual..R1~ Gr,1.ntle
<br />Ilho\'(' San Luis I.akt' is locilted in diversions with Ideal dlyerslons
<br />thL~ thalwc,q and rl"l"pj\'es surface (tht' :lmnunt :lctu:Jily ust'~ In years
<br />and I!'round watcrs from both na- whl'n Ihl' watt'r supply IS ample)
<br />show.s that ...ctunl dl\'crsion aVt'r-
<br />a,qes 9G,200 "cre>-fect les'l than
<br />ideal dh'(-'rslon. With tlewlopment
<br />, of thl" S/llvagl' plan. <In avt'rn~e of
<br />! 41,300 acre-fl'et would b(' a\'311ablej
<br />to alleviate such IrriRntlon short-
<br />aces.
<br />Th('re Is also a potcntial US~ for
<br />a portion of the wlltl'r In tht' Mos-
<br />e:J-l-Ioopt'r :lrea. wh('re producth'lty,
<br />of about 21,000 /Icrt's of land has
<br />diminisht'd hl'C31lSe of Jaek of
<br />dralnagt' f:leilitlcs, With ndequalt'
<br />rlratnli!!"(-' and an IImp]t' !iupply of I
<br />water, th.:>s(' landll could b(' restor-
<br />t'd to thf'lr forml'r procluclivtty.
<br />3. .'\ Mudy waF; made of tlle po--
<br />t('nllal Wal:"on Whl.'rl Gap Rt'sr.r-
<br />voir, operating without restriction
<br />und('r l('rm.!! o( thl' Compact to
<br />I !>upply an Idl'al dlvrfsion demand
<br />of 611,000 Bcre.feet, b/ls!'d on lIS0
<br />.1 of part of the sah':l~cd W/ltef to
<br />,mt'et Compllct commitments and
<br />jthe rest for irrh:alion.
<br />F.xp('ctl'd lIf'nctih
<br />The f('port summar12es expectt'c!
<br />benr(jtl> from the prokct. Olrect
<br />! and Indirect benefits from use of.
<br />Ithe !Ial\la~l'd wllter ar(' st't at S2,-
<br />312.000 annually. from recrl'atlon'
<br />$132,000 arid from fish and wi1rl-
<br />IJfl' SHI4,OOO, for II totll] of 52,-
<br />638,000,
<br />. Total f<<lt'ra] im'ostmt'nt In the
<br />,project h (-'stimnted :It $8,340000.,
<br />This would mean a nUo of $4.41
<br />
<br />(Editor's N('l~.e: The Colorndo Water Conservation Bo.ard
<br />recently approve/J a regioonl Bureau ol Reclamation plan of de~
<br />vcJopment for '.he Clo>;ed Basin water salvage project. Richard
<br />Conour of ""'ucl Norte. a member of the board. ab5tained from
<br />. lotin~( on the measure. giving as one re;'lson that the people of
<br />I the Valley have not yet indicated a united opinion on the maUer.
<br />I nor have they had sufficient information upon which to form an
<br />intelligent ;md informed opinion.
<br />The Journal, as a public service. is printing a summary o~
<br />the report of the Bureau, The complete report, which contains
<br />over J 00 pages ilnd m.'!lY chMts, may be inspected at the oHiee
<br />of Mr, Conour in Del Norte or at the Monte Vista Bureau of
<br />~ Reclamation oHice,)
<br />
<br />An earll('r plan for dt'Velopmcnt
<br />I of the Clnsed nasin was revle.....ed
<br />by Ihe Colorado Water Cooserva-
<br />Uon Board .10(\ thcn discussed with
<br />V/lllc)..' water ll!;ers at a mt'eting
<br />held Fe-b. 3, I!lG2, In ,\]amos~,
<br />Artl'r thl~, the hoard of dire-c.
<br />,tors of tht' San Luis Vallt'y \Vater
<br />Conservancy Dislrlct appro\'ed tht'
<br />Closed Basin project upon tht' fol-
<br />lowln~ conditions;
<br />I 1. The works bt' constructed IInd
<br />I operaled by the fC'lleral go\'ern-
<br />mrnt.
<br />I 2, That salv;lge of fn"ound wllters
<br />I be Iiccompllshed ill such a mannt'r
<br />a!> 10 preclude adverse err~ls nn
<br />It h e exl~tlng irrh:ation devt'lop-
<br />mf'nt.~ within the Closed Bll!iin.
<br />3. That It be clearly understood
<br />that Introduction Into the Rio
<br />Grande of Closet! Basin wat('rs
<br />glve>s other st.1tl'~ no right to de-
<br />mtlnd continuation of snch impor.
<br />tntion a/.!.:linst wishes of Vallcy
<br />w"tl'r users.
<br />In rcbman', 1962, the Colorlldo
<br />Watl"1' Const'f\'atinn Board rccom-
<br />mended thol tbt' Bure;Ju of Recla-
<br />mation amrnrl its feasibility feport
<br />In IIRht of lhl'se recomml'ndatlons.
<br />The amendrc! rrport was cnm.
<br />pleted by tht' Bllrenu In No\'rmhl'r,
<br />1962. and approv('d by thl" \Vatt'r
<br />Con~l'rvallon noanl tn January.
<br />HI/,J. It is thlsr(lvlsed rl'pnft .....hlch
<br />is summ:trl'lt'd in tht' rcmaindt'r of
<br />this arllc!r, llnd fh::ures and stat('-
<br />ml"nts quoted come from the rc-
<br />port.
<br />The reglon...1 dlrl'l'tor of th('
<br />Rurt'au, in the letter transmiltinj:!
<br />the r!evl'!opmrnt plan to the com.
<br />missinn('r of lhe Rur('au, slates
<br />tl1...1 the re!"lort is transm[U('(l a~
<br />the hasis for sl'c:urine: Congres.
<br />:;i"I'lil /Iuthori1~"ltllln of th(' p]lIn.
<br />The 1f'\Ier surnmarht'!l: "Th~ p1110
<br />would .!!ah.altt' for b(-'nefll'l.11 use
<br />nn 1I\'l'rnr(e Ilf 101.700 acre-fC'et of
<br />wat('r annuall\'. wh[(oh Is now be-'
<br />In~ lost h).' e\'~porllt[on or eonsum.
<br />(..I by !ialt wass, r,1bbil bru~h.
<br />~rt';JsC'wood and Ulllf'r \'('gf'tatltJn.
<br />11 wOI/]d pt'fmit elC'livl'ry of ad'li-
<br />tlonal Rill Grande flO\\'!i to th('
<br />slal(-'!l of New i\Tl'x[co and Tt'xas in
<br />aecorfinnee with provisions of Ihe
<br />Rio Gl'lIndo Cnmpact. providE:' for
<br />('stablishmt'nt of two nnllonal wlld..
<br />lIf(' re[u!::e!l IInd pro\'lde for dC'-
<br />\'(-'Iopml'nt nf 8VIi1l:Jb]t' recre;Jtlon.
<br />alopportunities,
<br />"Expanding waler IIse.s In tht'
<br />Rio Gr;mde hasin, reC('l1t occur-
<br />rC'l1('c Ilf IIn exln'mf' and protrart-
<br />eel drouj.!'ht, find the IncrcaslnJ:!lv
<br />mlvl"rse debll St,1tus of Co]ur:ldo
<br />under the Rio Gr,1ndl' Compa('!,
<br />all 1'00ph....o:in' tl1(' nred for opti-
<br />mum salv:lr.(' of nonbC'nt'licinlly
<br />eonsuml>{\ willers In lhe Slln Lul!;
<br />Vlllll'\'."
<br />I Thl> f"llslbillty Im'(-'stlj:!nlion!; on
<br />which the rie,"c1opmt'nt plan Is
<br />bal;('d w('re mlltll' undl'r :1 coop!'r-
<br />, alive> "'~rcf'm('nl bl'lw(,f'n the Bllr-
<br />,','1\1 MId Ih(' St,1t!' of Colorntlo. ThE:'
<br />stale conlributl'd S25,OOO to the
<br />cos!. the Slln Luis Ynl!C'v \Vatl'r
<br />C'llos('rvanc)' DistrIct $.i 000 and
<br />thl' federal !:ov('rnmcnt thl' fest,
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