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

I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
i
I
I

003254

Present Water Use

The Bureau of Reclamation survey of 1933 gave 14,210 acres as the lands

then irrigated. Recent studies by the Bureau show the irrigated area has

been expanded to 15,430 acres. This is 8.6% increase in the twenty-six-year

period, 1933-1958.

Water diverted from the Florida River by the City of Durango for the

fifteen year period, 1942-1956, averaged 4,375 acre feet per year. Diversions

in recent years of low river runoff have averaged 4,875 acre feet per year.

This is considered the maximum use of Florida River water by the City. Return

flow from City of Durango municipal water drains to the Animas River.

The estimated present annual stream depletion of the Florida River is

given in Table XVII.

TABLE XVII

Average annual stream depletion by irrigation.... 16,800 Acre Feet
Average annual stream depletion by reservoir
evaporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 100"
Average annual stream depletion by municipal '

use (1).,..........,....."..,..,.......,... '4;906 11

11

11

Sub-total 21,800

11

11

Return flow to Animas River (1)............. 3,700

11

11

Net average annual stream depletion..., ,....18,100 Acre Feet

(1) The net consumptive use by the City of Durango is 1,200 acre feet per
year and 3,700 acre feet of the diverted Florida River water returns
to the Animas River.

Potential Water Use

The full irrigation of the Florida Mesa land has been under study by

the Bureau of Reclamation for many years. The construction of the Project

-28-

.

~~~