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<br />6, Facts about the John Martin Project:
<br />The John Martin Reservoir Project was built by the Corps of
<br />Engineers, United States Army, The project was authorized by Congress
<br />in the Flood Control Act of June 22, 1936, wben the federal responsibility
<br />for nood control throughout the country was assigned to the Corps of
<br />Engineers, It is located on the Arkansas River, 58 miles upstream from
<br />the Colorado-Kansas stateline and 18 miles upstream from the city of
<br />Lamar, Colorado, Construction of the project began in the fall of 1939, but
<br />work was suspended by World War 11 from the spring of 1943 to the spring
<br />of 1946, The project was completed in October 1948 at a cost of about $15
<br />million, The War Department Civil Appropriation Act of June 24, 1940,
<br />changed the name of the project from Caddoa Reservoir Project to John
<br />Martin Reservoir Project, in honor of the late Congressman John A,
<br />Martin of Colorado, It is operated by the United States Army Engineer
<br />District, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Mr, Russell Smith has been the
<br />resident superintendent of the project since October, 1976,
<br />The John Martin Reservoir Project is part of the comprehensive plan
<br />for the control of floods and the development of the water resources in the
<br />Arkansas River basin, The reservoir provides 270,375 acre-feet of storage
<br />capacity [or nood control and protection of the [ertile Arkansas River
<br />Valley below the dam, It also provides 350,951 acre-feet of storage spaCe
<br />for conservation and recreation.
<br />John Martin Reservoir supplies water to the irrigated lands below the
<br />dam as far downstream as Garden City, Kansas, The top of the
<br />conservation pool is 3,851 feet above mean sea level, which provides
<br />350,951 acre-feet o[ waler for irrigation, Upon request of the Arkansas
<br />River Compact Administration, irrigation water for downstream water
<br />users is released through the outlet works in the base of the dam,
<br />The release of stored flood waters in excess of the conservation and
<br />recreation pool or above elevation 3,851 feet are planned so that, when
<br />combined with flows originating downstream from the dam, the capacity
<br />of the channel will not be exceeded, Downstream flood damages
<br />prevented by John Martin dam already exceed the coot of the project and
<br />have surpassed the $92 million mark,
<br />Recreation and favorable fish and wildlife habitats are derived [rom
<br />this project, With reservoir lands open to aU, there are many attractive
<br />public use areas for outdoor recreation, water sports, fishing and boating,
<br />or just relaxed living, During construclion some embankment material
<br />was obtained from a 75-acre tract of land immediately downstream of the
<br />dam, This excavated area, averaging 12 [eet deep, filled with water and
<br />formed Lake Hasty, center o[ year-round recreation,
<br />John Martin Dam consists of a concrete gravity structure 1,644 feet
<br />long and 120 feet high, and an earthfilt structure 2,600 [eel long, The
<br />concrete gravity structure contains a gated spillway provided with
<br />sixteen 30 feet by 64 feet tainter gates with their operating machinery,
<br />There are earthen wing dams on either side of the main dam, The north
<br />wing dam is 3,880 feet long, connecting 10 the earth/ill structure of the
<br />main dam at the north abutment. The south wing dam is 5,807 feet long
<br />anq connects to the south end of the concrete structure of the main dam, A
<br />biluminous-surfaced roadway, 21 feet wide, extends along the cresl of the
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