WSP01548

• File Number: 8220.106
• Description: Animas-La Plata
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 7/1/1987
• Author: EPI
• Title: An Analysis of the Animas-La Plata Project - Durango-Colorado - July 1987
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

PROJECT HISTORY

The Animas La Plata project was authorized by the Colorado
River Basin Act of September 30, 1968, as a participating
project under the Colorado River storage Project Act of
April 11,1956. Since that time, the project has undergone
reviews and studies by various Federal Agencies. The Final
Environmental Impact statement (EIS) on the project was
filed in 1980. The Definite Plan Report (DPR) on the project
(the Bureau of Reclamation's guiding construction document)
was approved in August of 1980.

There has been $5,930,695 spent on the project to date. This
money has been for studies but not for actual construction.
The total to be allocated for the construction of the
project is $586,561,000. Because of the rather unorthodox
way in which this project is to be constructed - Phase 1
and Phase 2 - the costs and repayments for the project are
difficult to ascertain at times as well as the ultimate
project design.

THE PROJECT DESIGN

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According to the EIS and the. DPR, the Animas River would
be the principal source of project water. Water would
be diverted from the river by the Durango pumping plant,
located immediately south of town, and conveyed to Ridges
Basin Reservoir through the 2.1 mile-long Ridges Basin
Inlet Conduit. The water would be stored at Ridges Basin
Reservoir, an offstream site located on Basin Creek 3 miles
southwest ot Durango.

Municipal water tor Durango would be delivered trom a valve
station on the inlet conduit to a new water treatment plant
to be constructed near the divide between the Animas river
and the reservoir. At times when the Durango Pumping Plant
would not be in operation, flows in the inlet conduit to
the valve station would be from Ridges Basin Reservoir.
The Durango M&I Pipeline would deliver water trom the new
treatment plant to existing water mains at the south edge of
Durango.

Municipal water for New Mexico communities would be supplied
from the Animas River, supplemented by releases from Ridges
Basin Reservoir outlet works to Basin Creek, a tributary of
the Animas River. Water would be pumped trom the reservoir
to the Dry Side Canal tor deliveries to the west in the La
Plata and Mancos River drainages.

The Dry Side Canal, 27.S miles long including the long
hollow Tunnel, would deliver water to seven turnout points.
These turnouts would provide delivery ot water to full and
supplemental service lands in the North La Plata Dryside

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