WSP00506

• File Number: 8282.500.20.A
• Description: Colorado River Operations
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 7/3/1961
• Author: Raymond Hill
• Title: Limitations on Upper Basin Developments Due to Shortage of Colorado River Supply
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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LEEDS. HILL AND JEWETr. INC.

there be any room for expanded municipal and industrial uses of water

in Colorado. The great mineral resources of western Colorado would

have to remain undeveloped because of lack of water if the premise of

the Special Master be valid.

The impact on New Mexico would be more severe because the

projected depletions in New Mexico would exceed its share (11. 25 per cent)

of the supply available to the Upper Basin by about 1975, as shown in

Table C. Depletions by existing projects and the Participating Projects

under construction would then amount to 88,000 -acre feet per year. The

New Mexico share of losses from the Storage Project Reservoirs now

under construction will be about 78,000 acre feet per year. This leaves

only about 280,000 acre feet per year for all other projects in New

Mexico.

The San Juan-Chama Project, proposed for early construction,

would deplete Colorado River by 110,000 acre feet per year. Depletions

due to the proposed Navajo Project are expected to amount to 125,000

acre feet in 1975, and within ten years later to 252,000 acre feet per

year. It is apparent that there would not be sufficient water for both

of these projects, if California uses are not to be curtailed under the

decree recommended by the Special Master to the Supreme Court of

the United States.

The impact on Utah would be even more severe because projected

depletions in this State, shown on Table D, would exceed its share of

4,000,000 acre feet per year prior to 1975. Depletions by existing

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