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<br />. <br /> <br />15 <br /> <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />SOC'J <br /> <br />CHAPl'ER 2.--WATER SUPPLY <br /> <br />Water resources <br /> <br />The source of irrigation water for the Trinidad Reservoir <br /> <br />Project shown on exhibit 1 is the Purgatoire River which rises <br /> <br />in the Culebra Range west of Trinidad, Colorado. The Purgatoire <br /> <br />Ri ver is a mountain and plains stream originating at an elevation <br /> <br />of slightly more than 13,000 feet above sea level. The river <br />drops to an elevation of about 6,000 feet at Trinidad, Colorado, <br />some 40 miles below its headwaters. East of Trinidad, the river <br /> <br />flows through a broad valley for about 35 miles before entering <br /> <br />a narrow canyon more than 100 miles in length beginning at <br /> <br />Alfalfa, Colorado, thence through more open plains country to <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />its confluence with the Arkansas River near the town of Las <br /> <br />Animas, Colorado, about 157 miles below Trinidad. <br /> <br />The project area of about 19,700 acres of presently irri- <br /> <br />gated land located below Trinidad, Colorado, derives most of its <br /> <br />water supply from the P<lrgatoire Hi ver. Base flow of the stream <br /> <br />above Trinidad is maintained largely by seepage of ground water <br /> <br />into the stream channel. Snowmelt runoff is mostly reflected in <br /> <br />the river flow during April, May and June. From about May to <br /> <br />October intense rains ~ occur and produce floods of considerable <br /> <br />peak and volume. The tributary streams are largely ephemeral and <br /> <br />contribute water mainly in the spring and after heavy rains. <br />l <br />