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<br />
<br />Quarterly Newsletter July, 1999
<br />
<br />Volume 4, Issue 2
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<br />Dolores District Proposes
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<br />llWater for Everyone Package"
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<br />"'V\/arer for Eve-rvont" Tomorrow P,Kkage." or "WETPACK", is
<br />J plan by the D~lores Water COllserva'ncy Disrrier ro meet the
<br />needs and demands ora growing and changing region,
<br />
<br />The Dolores Project has slIccessfully helped stabilize the local
<br />economy 111 the Dolores River w;Hershed. All [he water ill
<br />tv1cPhee'Reservoir is presently Jllocned and there is need for
<br />more, Bur the water supply in the Dolores River will Hucru;nC',
<br />depending on SIl0\~"'pJ.ck, raint:lll, \vjnd and runoff facw[s.
<br />
<br />!\1cPhee is rhe safeguard against droughr. Anllu::d Dolores River
<br />flows range from spring rime floods [0 Ilear trickles in rhe dry
<br />months. Any "new" water for district users ..::an only be developed
<br />(a) rhrough water righrs purchased from \""Jter US::lge decrelses
<br />caused by convening agricultural supplies to municipal 01
<br />induscrial supplies, conselvation by implemenring major
<br />improvements in rhe century-old canals or ditches Jnd inst;~lIi nl?;
<br />more w~1ter efficient sprinkJing systems: and (h) by' cap[LIring
<br />and storing snowmelt runoff water that would otherwise be
<br />spilled downstream through McPhee Res('f\'oir.
<br />
<br />The "WET PACK" concept has been discussed since 1990 and
<br />now the Dolores Warer Conservancy District is moving ahead
<br />wirh their $150,000, r...va-year feasibility sUldy, including
<br />extensive public participation,
<br />
<br />WET PACK's rwo goals are:
<br />
<br />l. To develop up to G,lOO addirional acres of land tor
<br />irrigation to make ur for acreage development ability
<br />lost when a Bureau at Recb1l13tion error underestimated
<br />bv 3,900 acre-feet the water Haws needed to sustain a
<br />\;orld-class fishery downstream from l\kPhee 0.1111.
<br />Negotiations are under way wirh rhe 1\'lomezLLm.1 Valley
<br />Irrigation Co. (0 buy 6,000 acre-t~et of its \V~Her \....hich
<br />has become excess because of changes in the area's
<br />farming statuS and irrigation and transporrJtion
<br />methods, The water is ro be boughr bv the DWCD
<br />with money paid by the Bureau ofRecla~1ation for the
<br />downsrream flow "mistake". This (),OOO acre-te.t't is
<br />commi[[ed to be kept for lIse within the community,
<br />as dearh' stated by the conditions ser bv lv1onrezu!l1a
<br />Valler Irrigation Co. and also bV;1 disrri'cr-wide yore a
<br />few )"cars 'ago approving ,1_ t~LX 'increase to buy excess
<br />!l1unicipJI~indLlsrria] \\'Jrer trom Conez Jnd Dove Creek
<br />(0 keep it wirhin [he district.
<br />
<br />Mancos District Celebrates
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<br />50th Anniversary
<br />
<br />Jackson Gulch Reservoir Began Water
<br />
<br />Delivery in July, J 949
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<br />The Mallcos \Vater Cllllservanc)' Dislfict is celebrating rhe
<br />50th anniversar)' of Jackson Gulch Reservoir, which was
<br />completed in 1949 and began delivering water [0 the
<br />Mancos River vallev waret users in Julv, 1949, The water
<br />disrricr was formed in 1941 and has 'been operarjng rhe
<br />Jackson Gulch Reservoir for rhe past 50 years, The reservoir
<br />water capacity is 9,980 acre feet, and provides irrigation
<br />water for approximately 8,300 acres in the Mancos valley,
<br />In addition, the reservoir supplies warer for Mesa Verde
<br />National Park, the rown of Mancos and tural water users
<br />in the area, Presenrly, 221 irrigarors depend on Jackson
<br />Gulch for their irrig;nion water. Recenrlv, the disrrict
<br />completed a small hydroelectric plant a[ th~ reservoir site
<br />that operates during the slimmer irrigation season, As water
<br />is released for irrigation and domestic use, dectriciry is
<br />produced at the Jackson Gulch Reservoir hydro planr.
<br />Revenues from the power generation art used to repay rhe
<br />loan for the hydro pbnr, and when that is paid for, the
<br />re\'enut's will be llsed for operations and maintenance at
<br />Jackson Gulch reservoir. A celebration and cook out will
<br />be hosted by rhe conservancy district 011 Saturday, July 31,
<br />1999, at the reservoir. Please call Gary Kennedy by July
<br />15th at (970) 533.7325 eo reserve your space ar the 50rh
<br />:vear anniversary event or for Illore informarion 011 Jackson
<br />Gulch Reservoir, c\
<br />
<br />.~
<br />A celebration and cook
<br />out will be hosted by the
<br />Mancos Water District on
<br />Saturday, July 31, 1999,
<br />at the reservoir.
<br />
<br />Colltilllled Oil page 2
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<br />.~ In This Issue of the Water Letter .~
<br />\\:/,uer for Everyone Package ...........,..,....,.......................... I Te.1Cher'::, \Vorkshop in Dur3ngo ,.......... .
<br />l\-1ancos 50th Anniversarr Celc.brarion .... .. ......,.. .. 1 HumoroLls \X1:1fer Terms ................, .............
<br />Interview with Ernie Sch'lltz ,.... ........,..... .....,....2 Upcoming EvelHs Calendar ...... . .........."...
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