WSP00697

• File Number: 8200.750
• Description: San Juan River General
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 3/1/1960
• Author: Clifford H Jex
• Title: Report on Stream Depletion of the San Juan River Basin in Colorado - March 1960
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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TABLE V
Runoff in Runoff in Runoff in
Year 1000 Acre Feet Year 1000 Acre Feet Year 1000 Acre Feet
1942 401.1 1948 353.3 1954 150.7
1943 225.3 1949 370.4 1955 153.3
1944 351. 2 1950 182.1 1956 180..3
1945 290.4 1951 131.5
1946 120.5 1952 415.1 15-yr. 1942-56 Av. 247.6
1947 205.4 1953 183.7 4-yr. 1953-56 Av. 167.0

Present Water Use

The principal use of water is for irrigation of grass hay and livestock

pasture land. Other uses include municipal use by the Town of Pagosa Springs,

domestic and livestock use by ranches of the basin, fish lake use, and the

8xport of water to the Rio Grande Basin in Colorado. The larger tracts of

irrigated land are located at elevations of 6,800 to 8,000 feet in the

drainage basins of the smaller tributary streams having limited water runoff.

A study of the arable lands of the entire Colorado River Basin was con-

ducted by the United States Bureau of Reclamation during the period 1933-

1939. The field work in the Upper San Juan Division was completed in the

late summer of 1933. Summary tables of the study list a total of 4,260 acres

as irrigated at the time of the study.

A check of the lands irrigated at the present time, using aerial photo--

graphs as a guide, indicates irrigation has been expanded to a total of

7,060 acres. This is an increase of 66% in the twenty-six year period, 1933-

1959. The increase in irrigation has taken place by the construction of new

canals, the enlargement and extension of existing canals, the clearing of

land under canal and the reuse of return flow water.

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