Laserfiche WebLink
<br />\ <br />, . <br />. <br />.f.. ' <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />- 7 - <br /> <br />For the period 1930-1955, the accretions averaged 591,000 acre feet according to <br /> <br />this study. <br /> <br />THE NARrlO"IS DAIl <br /> <br />This structure, when, and if, constructed, would play an important role <br /> <br />in the watel' supply as well as flood control of the 10>1er river basin. With irri- <br /> <br />gation capacity of 323,000 acre feet as now designed, it "would proVide supplemental <br /> <br />water fQr about 230,000 acres of presently irrigated land through regulation of <br /> <br />flood and surplus South Platte River flows and return flows from the Colorado-Big <br />Thompson Project./l <br /> <br />Surplus Flows <br /> <br />About 25 years ago some studies were made relative to surplus flows, <br /> <br /> <br />which might be considered as storable, in the South Platte River and tributaries, <br /> <br />provided that reservoir capacity should be constructed. These studies were based <br /> <br />on stream flows occurring during the 1918-1928 period. <br /> <br />For example, it was estimated at that time that there was a storable <br /> <br />surplUs of about 27,000 acre feet on Clear Creek above Golden. For the 15 year <br />period between 1941 and 1955 the runoff at Golden has been about 85 percent of that <br />of the 1918-1928 period, A rough study was made by the Water Conservation Board to <br />determine what the storable surplus might be fot' the 1941-1955 period with storage <br />in a potential reservoir at the forks of Clear Creek below Empire. Based on stream~ <br /> <br />flows at the reservoir site, the river orders issued b.1 the State Engineer's office <br /> <br /> <br />and demands on the South Platte itself, it was found that water could have been <br /> <br />stored during summer months in only 5 years of the 15 year period. The average <br /> <br />amount storable would be less than 10,000 acre feet during such a period. <br />