WSP00381

• File Number: 8143.600.10
• Description: John Martin Reservoir
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 12/1/1981
• Title: Analysis of John Martin Reservoir
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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ZORICH, SPRONK a ASSOCIATES, INC.

Page 1

INTRODUCTION

The Arkansas River Compact (hereinafter referred to as the

Compact) has been in operation since 1948, and most recently has

been functioning under a tentative, year-to-year agreement re-

garding the operating criteria for John Martin Reservoir. The

impetus for this study was the fact that some of the water users

in Colorado Water Districts 14 and 17 believe that the current

John Martin Reservoir operating criteria provide the water users

in Water District 67 with increased benefits compared to those

received "historically". Through the analysis of basic ditch

diversion and river discharge data, the benefits to water users

in Districts 14 and 17, as well as those to water users in Dis-

trict 67, can be compared to historic conditions prior to the

construction of John Martin Reservoir. This report presents

the results of such a comparison. It should be kept in mind

that factors other than the operating criteria for John Martin

.

Reservoir could affect the relationships described in this re-

port. One such factor would be the substantial increase in well

pumping during the last thirty years.

ARKANSAS RIVER COMPACT

A brief discussion of the history surrounding the adoption

of the Compact may be helpful in putting the current controversy

between the upstream ditches (those in Water Districts 14 and

17) and the downstream ditches (those in Water District 67) into

perspecti ve. Several suits were filed in the Federal Court Sys..

tem during the early part of the twentieth century in an attempt