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<br />FRY~GPAN-AR~SAS PROJECT
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<br />These purpo~eswould be accomplished through construction of
<br />(a) a system of' about 50 miles of canals and tunnels on the western
<br />slope of the Continental Divide, for the collection of water from
<br />Hunter Creek and Frying Pan River, tributaries of the Roaring Fork
<br />River; (b) Aspen Reservoir, with an active capacity of 28,000 acte-feet
<br />near the town of Aspen on the western slope to provide replacement
<br />water and water for future use in meeting the demands in western
<br />Colorado; (e) the Frying Pan-Arkansas tunnel, about 6 miles in length,
<br />for diverting wa~er collected on the western slope to the eastern slope;
<br />(d) the Sugar Loaf Reservoir on the eastern slope of the upper Arkansas
<br />Basin, enlarged from its present capacity of 17,000 acre-feet to 117,000
<br />acre-feet for storage' and regulation of water imported from the
<br />western slope; (e) the Snowden diversion dam on the Arkansas River
<br />above Snowden; Colo" and the Snowden diversion canal which would
<br />convey water from the Arkansas River to the enlarged Twin Lakes
<br />Reservoir; (j) the Twin Lakes Reservoir in the upper Arkansas Basin,
<br />a few miles south of Snowden, Colo., enlarged from its present active
<br />capacity of 56,000 acre-feet to 260,000 acre-feet, for storage and
<br />reglalation of water imported from the western slope by the Frying
<br />Pan-Arkansas diversion, water imported by existing Twin Lakes
<br />diversion, and water diverted from the Arkansas River by the Snowden
<br />Canal; (g) the Pueblo Reservoir on the Arkansas River west of Pueblo,
<br />Colo" with a capacity of 400,000 acre-feet to sto,re water for irrigation
<br />and municipal use and for flood control; (h) a project power system
<br />comprising 60 mIiles of canals, 7 powerplants having an installed
<br />capacity of 104,8QO kilowatts, 7 switchards, 9 substations, and about
<br />400 miles of transmission lines; (i) specific municipal water supply
<br />facilities for furnishing additional municipal water to Colorado
<br />Springs, Pueblo and several Arkansas VaUey towns, which supply
<br />facilities would be constructed by the United States only after con-
<br />struction by the communities thems,elves proves infeasible. These
<br />proposed works, w:hich make up the initial development, are estimated
<br />to cost $147,440,000 on the basis of October 1949 price levels which
<br />are just slightly lower than present price levels. The cost of operation
<br />and maintenance,inoluding reserves for replacement, is estimated to
<br />be $1,335,200 annually.
<br />The initial development of the Gunnison-Arkansas project has
<br />engineering feasibility. It represents the minimum practical project.
<br />It is designed as a,self-contained unit and its construction would not
<br />imply a commitment for expansion, extension, or enlargement; neither
<br />would it impair or duplicate future development. It would be oper-
<br />ated in accordance with the principles set forth in the regional director's
<br />report. The TWin Lakes Reservoir & Canal Co. has expressed a
<br />willingness to execute the water exchange agreement which is pre-
<br />requisite to the prevention of damage to the fisheries of the Roaring
<br />Fork River, and which is contemplated by the operating principles.
<br />The water to be imported from the Colorado River watershed is to
<br />come from Colorado's apportionment under the upper Colorado
<br />River Basin compact, and there is sufficient water supply for the
<br />project,
<br />The initial (levelopment of the Gunnison-Arkansas project is eeo-
<br />nomically justified and financially feasible, The ratio of annual bene-
<br />fits to annual costs is about 1.7 to ] ,0, Net allnual revenues would
<br />amount to about $2,870,000, It is estimated that all reimbursable
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