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4 U II If' .:) ':) t. .) II c) <:::;;> II II . II II II . I 2. Project Authorization " Studies for ,the Closed Basin Division, San Luis Valley Project, were authorized in 1940. Also authorized at that time were studies for the Conejos', Rio Grande, and Weminuche Pass, which are other divisions of the San Luis Valley Project. It should be pointed, out that the Closed Basin Division is considered a separate project, and the completion of this project does not imply that any of the following described potential projects will be 'carried to completion. In 1951 construstion..9f. Platoro Dam and Reservoir, was completed, on the Conejos River, a Rio Grande tributary located downstream from the pro- ject area. The principal purpose of the Conejos Division was to store irrigation water for the Conejos Water Conservancy District lands located downstream; but presently the reservoir only stores floodwaters (see section A-B). Prior to World War II the Rio Grande Division was authqrized to construct Wagon Wheel Gap reservoir on the Rio Grande above the project area for irrigation, flood control, and power generation. However, increased postwar costs precluded its construction; and to date, Wagon Wheel Gap res~rvoir has not been constructed (see section A-B). The Weminuche Pass Transmoantain Diversion to bring 20,000 acre-feet of San Juan River Basin waters into the Rio Grande above Wagon Wheel Gap reservoir was also recmmnend~d for construction prior to World War II, but the entire diversion plan was subsequently found to be infeasible. The 1940 study authorization also stated that the construction of the Closed Basin Division should be contingent on (1) a conclusive finding of justification for draining the project on the basis of cost and the quantity and quality of the water to be secured and (2) adequate arrange- ments for maintenance of the drain. Several studies have been conducted during the intervening years to resolve these uncertainties. These studies are--Reconnaissance Report, August 1956; Feasibility Report, July 1963; and Reevaluation Statement, May 1970. The Feasibility Report and Reevaluation Statement were published as House Document No, 91-369, 9lst Congress, 2d Session which was the basis for the current project authorization. Public Law 92-514, dated October 20, 1972, authorized the Secretary of the Interior to: . construct, operate, and maintain the closed basin division, San Luis Valley project, Colorado, . . A final environmental statement (FES 71-14) was on Environmental Quality on September 21, 1971. filed with the Council Changes in the project, A-5