WSP01689 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

. . . ,..... .'" r' 1 ,.; il,;j '" CHAPTER IV WATER Smrp1~--BAS,~T PROJECT Basis and Period of Stu~ An average annual yield of 40,000 a.cre-feet of water from Ruedi Res- ervoir is considered to be available for the Basalt project. This yield is based upon a llater supply study made for the Fryingpan-Arkansas project and a tentative assignment of part of the Ruedi Reservoir water to future western slope projects as discussed in the introduction to this volume. Estimates of future water supplies available to the Basalt project from local streams were based on recorded and estimated streamflows and ditch diversion records for the 15-year period 1946 through 1960. This period is considered to provide a conservative base for the estimates as it includes the driest 3- and 10-year periods of record which were 1954- 1956 and 1947-1956, respectively. Water Resources Streamflow records and estimates The stream-gaging station on Cattle Creek near Carbondale is the only one that provided useful flow records of local streams near the Basalt project area. The record at this station covered the period from October 1950 through September 1955. It "as extended to the 191;6-60 period by correlation with f'lo"s of Smith Fork near Crawford, Colo. Some unpub- lished staff gage records on Cattle and Coulter Creek were available but were not used in project studies because State Water Co~~issioner stream diversion records "ere considered a better sourCe of flow data. Diversion records are often poor, however, particularly during high rlilloff seasons when the abundant water supply' made careful stream administration unneces- sary. Recorded diverSions from Cattle Creek often exceeded the total creek flow. The diversion records were adjusted, therefore, to correlate vi th the streamflov records and estimetes. Flows of other streams in the project area were estimated by adjusting diversion records as seemed appropriate. Available vater supply The major source of project w(rter vould be the Ruedi Reservoir. Minor sources include Cattle. Coulter, Sopris. and Prince Creeks and their tributaries, including Ilesa Creek. :It W8$ assumed that the entire flo" of Fryingpan River "ould be required (1) to supply existing ditches 21