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<br />allotment. There is a clause in the compact which <br />provides for elimination of a debt or credit if <br />i Elephant Butte Reservoir spills. In June 1985 <br />J Colorado',s alleged debt of 600,000 acre feet was <br />erased by such a spill. In 1986 and 1987 Elephant <br />Butte spilled again insuring that Colorado's <br />allotment was met. <br /> <br />. '-, <br /> <br />Authorization <br />Public Law 92-514, approved on October 20, <br />1972, gave the Secretary of the Interior <br />permission to construct, operate, and maintain the <br />San Luis Valley Project, Closed Basin Division. <br />It was later amended by Public Law 96-375-0ct. <br />3, 1980, Public Law 98-570-0ct. 30, 1984, Public <br />Law 100-5 I 6-0ct. 24, 1988. Senate Bill No. 85- <br />Apr. 20, 1989, authorized the Colorado Water <br />Conservation Board to contribute to the cost of <br />construction. <br /> <br />General Description <br />The Closed Basin Division is located in south <br />central Colorado in the San Luis Valley in a <br />topographic basin called the Closed Basin. The <br />(:~.'.)' Closed Basin has a surface area of2,940 square <br />'( J miles. The San Juan Mountains on the west and <br />the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the east merge <br />to form the northern boundary ofthe basin. The <br />San Luis Hills form the south boundary. <br /> <br />@' <br />" <br />,',.. " ~:: . <br />'",; <br /> <br />Purpose of the Project <br />The purpose of the Closed Basin Division <br />project is to salvage unconfined ground water and <br />available surface flows in the Closed Basin that <br />would otherwise be lost to evapotranspiration by <br />salt grass, rabbit brush, greasewood, and other <br />vegetation. The salvaged water is delivered <br />through a 42-mile conveyance channel to the Rio <br />Grande to assist Colorado in meeting it's <br />commitment to the States of New Mexico and <br />Texas, under the Rio Grande Compact of 1939, <br />and to assist the United States in meeting it's <br />commitment to Mexico under the treaty dated <br />May 2 I, 1906. The Project also provides for the <br />delivery of water to the Alamosa National <br />Wildlife Refuge and Blanca Wildlife Habitat <br /> <br />May3l,1996 <br /> <br />..) <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />Area, stabilization of San Luis Lake, recreational <br />facilities at San Luis Lake, and fish and wildlife <br />enhancement. <br /> <br />PROJECT FEATURES <br />Salvage Wells <br />The 170 water salvage wells constructed <br />constitute the core of the Closed Basin water <br />salvage facilities. Salvage wells range from a <br />depth of 85- I 10 feet, yield 50- I 100 gallons per <br />minute, constructed with stainless steel screens <br />and enclosed in concrete vaults. Well fields were <br />developed in four stages. Groundwater in the <br />Project varies in quality. Therefore, pumped <br />waters are blended to meet the "quality of water" <br />terms of the Rio Grande Compact. <br /> <br />Observation Wells <br />A network of 82 observation wells provides <br />water level data for both the confined and <br />unconfined aquifers. This data is used to operate <br />the Project within the drawdown limits prescribed <br />by the authorizing legislation. <br /> <br /> <br />Figure 1 Observation Well <br /> <br />Pipeline Laterals <br />The Project includes approximately 115 miles <br />of pipeline laterals. These laterals transport water <br />from the salvage wells to the conveyance channel <br />in Stages I through 4. Stage 5 is a total pipe <br />system, merging with the conveyance channel at <br />the northwest boundary of Stage 4. <br /> <br />r, ... ,... ~: r:: ~... <br />t;'... "",~,...JJ <br /> <br />Page 2 <br />