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SALVAGE OF WATER WE TO PHRPATOPHYTE CLEARING SHELTON FAlMS ARKANSAS RIVER VALLEY, roLORAOO This report has been prepared for the Southeastern Colorado Water Con- servancy District, at the request of counsel, for use in relation to the Application of Shelton Fanos, Inc., to the State of Colorado, for Under- ground Water Right and the District's opposition to the Augmentation Plan. The purpose is to present data on the consumptive use of phreatophytes which have been cleared or are to be cleared and the Shelton Augmentation Plan. An evaluation of the net savings of water by clearing, and of effects of pumping on the River supply also are presented. History of P.hreatophyte Growth The following is a brief outline of the changes in vegetation along the Arkansas River in Colorado f1'Olll the pioneer days to the present: &mInary of VeRetation Cllanges 1840's Big Timbers. 2S miles east of Bent's Fort. 7-8 feet diameter cottonwoods Open, no W1derbt\l5h Scattered trees elsewhere CottQpwoods gone Sal t cedar first reported at Lamar Flood. First report of extensive spread of salt cedar. 1863 1913 1921 ., Phreatophyte Vegetation, La JlDlta to Las Animas (Bittinger and Stringham, 1963) 1936 2565 acres 128 acres per mile 1947 3082 acres 154 acres per mile 1957 3660 acres 183 acres per mile The early trappers and traders found the Arkansas River an open stream, very difficult to ford because of the ever-present quicksand. The banks and flood plain were grassy with little shrubbery. Except for the Big Timbers, there were only scattered trees, sanetimes in Slll&ll groves. (6) (1). (8) (IS) The Big Timbers were an open grove of immense cottonwoods, 7 to 8 feet in diameter, with good grass but no underbt\l5h reported. This grove extended along the River in eastern Bent ColDlty and western Prowers County for about