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<br />" <br /> <br />I <br />J <br />J <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />0. <br /><',:.) <br /><'":) <br />ce <br />-.J <br />N <br /> <br />capa~ity allowed under the Canadian River Compac~, The Commission has tentatively <br />commltted all but about 2,400 acre feet of the Yleld of Ute Reservoir (44,200 Acre Feet <br />per year) with addition of spillway gates to the Eastern New Mexico Water Supply <br />Project (ENMWSP). This project being studied by the Bureau of Reclamation will <br />furnish water to 10 population centers along the eastern New Mexico border. All but <br />two of these areas are outside of ASA 1105. The 2,400 acre feet not tentatively <br />committed to the ENMWSP will probably be used in the Logan-Tucumcari areas in ASA <br />1105. <br /> <br />Ute reservoir with spillway gates will for sometime contain enough storage space <br />to fully utilize all the conservation storage permitted by the compact. <br /> <br />About 18,000 acre feet of surface water supplies are presently unused and could <br />be made available for future use from the Dry Cimarron River. In order to utilize <br />these supplies, it will be necessary to construct a dam and reservoir to regulate <br />these surface flows. <br /> <br />Most of the groundwater in Colfax and Mora Counties occurs in low yielding <br />aquifers that, in general, produce water that is high in dissolved solids. Present <br />and projected use of groundwater supplies is minimal. The water supply is limited, <br />and future demands must be satisfied by transferring irrigation rights, The reduction <br />in irrigated acreage to satisfy increased demands in urban, minerals, and fish and <br />wildlife uses is projected to range from 10,000 acres (BBR 1968) to 8,000 acres <br />(BEA-BBR 1972) in 2000. ' <br /> <br />At the present time (1975) most of the uses in Harding and Union Counties are <br />from groundwater sources. There are sufficient groundwater supplies in both counties <br />to provide for projected uses to the year 2000. Projected uses include growth of <br />urban and rural communities and an expansion of irrigated acreage. After year 2000, <br />because of groundwater mining, the remaining amount of water available will be greatly <br />reduced and a reduction in irrigated acreage will occur. As noted, there are some <br />surface supplies which might be used to offset this reduction or could be used for <br />some other purpose. However, extensive and expensive works would be required to bring <br />the water to the areas where a reduction in irrigation is projected to occur. <br /> <br />In Quay County, groundwater supplies are used for irrigation in the House, Logan, <br />Nara Visa, and San Jon areas. Groundwater is also used for urban and rural demands. <br />Surface water from Conchas Reservoir is used for irrigation in the Arch Hurley Conservancy <br />District. In the House area, groundwater mining and lowering of water levels is <br />affecting the irrigation supply. By 2000 about 3,000 acres present1y:irtigatedwi11 <br />probably go out of production because pumping will no longer be economically feasible. <br />Elsewhere in Quay County groundwater supplies are adequate to maintain the present <br />acreage and allow some expansion. <br /> <br />Groundwater supplies in the vicinity of Tucumcari may not be sufficient to <br />meet future projected requirements. Expansion of the city's well field by construction <br />of many widely-spaced wells of low capacity might satisfy future requirements, however, <br />these works will be expensive. Future demands might also be met by 1) water from <br />Conchas Reservoir through retirement of irrigation or 2) water from Ute <br />Reservoir through mucicipal1y constructed works or as a part of the Eastern New Mexico <br />Water Supply Project. <br /> <br />As, noted, water supplies appear to be generally adequate to the year 2000 in <br />Union, Harding, and Quay Counties. Water supplies are inadequate in Colfax and <br />Mora Counties to satisfy projected future urban, minerals, recreation, and fish and <br />wildlife requirements without transfer of water from irrigated agriculture. Such <br /> <br />31 <br /> <br />