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.4 PAONIA PJ!;OJECT" COLORADO in the ~eason the flows are insufficient to meet irrigation requirements. Under the basic plan of development the increase in natural flow water divertible by enlargement of the Fire Mountain canal, a~ment- ed by storage from the contemplated Spring Creek ReservoIr, will provide a full water supply for all irrigable lands that can be reached reasonably by diversion from the main stem of North Fork River. . In lieu of a portion of the supply thus made available from the main stream, waters presently diverted from the tributary Leroux Creek and used on some of these lands will he transferred for use on upstream lands on this creek. The present Overland canal diverting from Leroux Creek will be enlarged and improved in order to facilitate the upstream diversion of the transferred water. As a matter of conven- ience, those lands in the project area to be served an irrigation supply from the main stem of North Fork River through the Fire Mountain canal are referred to as the Fire Mountain lands or unit, and those lands to be served by diversions from Leroux Creek are called the Leroux Creek lands or unit. Consummation of the project will make available a balanced new supply of 18,000 acre-feet annually of fuIIy useful water within seasonal irrigation requirements. In addition, an average annual supply of approximately 13,000 acre-feet of early season natural flow water, useful to the extent of providing one or two irrigation applications for production of early maturing crops, will be made available. The new project water will provide supplemental supplies for 12,750 acres of land now inadequately irrigated and pro- vide water for irrigation of 2,000 acres of new land. Rights to store and divert waters of the North Fork River and tributary streams will be secured for the project in accordance with established Colorado water laws. Existing water rights are recognized and the water beneficially used under the existing rights will not be altered or diminished by operation of the project. Water-supply studies show unused stream flow available in sufficient amounts to develop a depend- able water supply for the project as planned. 13. The project will serve primarily for irrigation, although inci- dental floOcl-control benefits will result from operation of the Spring Creek Reservoir. Probable storage requirements at Spring Creek Reservoir for future irrigation, domestic, and industrial needs in the North ,Fork River Valley have been considered in the reservoir design and an active capacity of 4,000 acre-feet in excess of immediate project needs is provided therefor. The added cost of providing this excess capacity is proportionately low compared to the cost of a smaller reservoir. The excess capacity will be held in reserve by the United States and sold as future needs for the storage develop. Aside from the uses mentioned 'there are no other potential project uses of material consequence. Studies of measured run-off of East Muddy Creek and downstream water requirements show that the storable flow at the Spring Creek Reservoir site is more than ample to fill .the designed active storage capacity totaling 13,000 acre-feet in all years, including the lowest run-off year on record. 14. Production of hydroelectric power in connection with develop- ment of the project was investigated and found to be infeasible. I