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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!Hl3245

TABLE XI
Runoff in Runoff in Runoff in
Year 1000 Acre Feet Year 1000 Acre Feet Year 1000 Acre Feet
1942 111. 5 1948 106.5 1954 48.5
1943 61.0 1949 104.6 1955 53.5
1944 106.0 1950 51.8 1956 47.5
1945 74.2 1951 39.6
1946 52.8 1952 112.7 15-yr. 1942-56 Av. 72.4
1947 68.4 1953 47.7 4-yr. 1953-56 Av. 49.3

Present Water Use

The arable land study of the Bureau of Reclamation shows a total of

2,770 acres as irrigated in 1933. A field check with aerial photographs

indicates the irrigated land has been expanded to a total of 4,700 acres.

This is a 70% increase in the twenty-six-year period, 1933-1959.

Irrigated land consists of 3,300 acres in the main Piedra River upper

valley, 700 acres in the basin of Stollsteimer and Devil Creeks and 700 acres

in the lower valley. Irrigation expansion in recent years has largely taken

place in the upper Piedra River valley by the construction of new canRls.

The clearing of land under the neW canals is continuing.

In addition to livestock ranch and irrigation use, water is exported

from the basin. The Piedra Pass Ditch intercepts runoff of the main Piedra

River and exports the water to South River of the Rio Grande. The Squaw

Pass Ditch intercepts runoff of Williams Creek and exports the water to

Squaw Cl'sek tributary to the Rio Grande. The exported water is used in the

Rio Grande Basin in Colorado.

In 1958 the Colorado Game & Fish Department constructed a lake on

Williams Creek for piscatorial and recreational purposes.

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