WSP02297

• File Number: 8131.600
• Description: Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 1/1/1969
• Author: SEWCD
• Title: Annual Report - 1968
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

sa.Ie ~f water, and ad vaIorum taxes assessed on property
o w.thm the District. It is expected the first Project
o water will he available to the District in 1971 in a
to\) limited quantity.

~ Durmg 1968 construction was completed on Ruedi
c.c Reservoir, and Sugar .Loaf Dam, as well as 30% of the
~ Sout!' Side Collection System. Pre-construction engi-
neermg work was carried on for Pueblo Dam: relocation
of Colorado 96; Hunter Creek Tunnel; and Nast
Tunnel, which would be the start of the Northside
Collection System. Work progressed well on the reloca.
tion of 16 miles of mainline D & R G Western Railroad
Company track, which had to be moved from the
bottom of what will be Pueblo Reservoir, to an align.
m.ent along the lakeshore. It is expected the first train
will operate over this relocated line in August 1969.
Construction was delayed considerably on Divide TWl-
nel when the contractor ran into bad ground, shortly
after the ist of January, 1968. This necessitated an
involved program of grouting, draining, and slower
drilling. It is anticipated the tunnel will be "holed
through" in mid-June, 1969, and completely lined for
use in mid-1970.

CORPS OF ENGINEERS FLOOD CONTROL

AND ALLIED PURPOSES PROJECT

Representatives from the Albuquerque, New Mexico,
District Office of the Corps of Engineers continued
their research into the feasibility of a $64,136,000 plan
for improvement and development of water resources
on the Arkansas River sub~basin, above John Martin
Dam. The scope of this study is within the confines of
the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District,
and the memhers of the Board of' Directors worked
closely with the Corps of Engineers in the establishment
of data, and dissemination of information ,on the
proposal.
This project is the result of requests submitted to
the Congress of the United States over a period of many
years, requesting assistance in the reduction of heavy
losses from periodic floods, and improvement of water
management. In 1967, Corps Officials held formal meet.
ings and Public Hearings throughout the affected area,
to explain the project and to receive observations. The
Corps of Engineers invited the Southeastern Colorado
Water Conservancy District to become the single sponsor
of the project in 1967, but due to taxing and other
statute limitations, the Directors declined to become the
single sponsor.
The Corps report was completed early in 1968,
and submitted to the Division Office in Dallas. which
approved the proposal and forwarded it to the appro.
priate agency in Washington, D.C. for review.
During the year, representatives from a number of

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conservation groups, and the Game Fish and Parks
Department, registered grave concern over the sugges-
ted reduction of phreatophytes, and the lowering of the
water table in certain sections. Corps Officials held anum.
ber of meetings in the Pueblo area, to attempt to resolve
the differences of opinion, In November, the Board of Di.
rectors of the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy
District. suggested that a pilot project be constructed
first, to evaluate the actual effect of channelization,
phreatophyte reduction, water table lowering, and flood
control on the hydrologic system in the test area. Results
of the test could then be translated to other portions of
the project, which might ultimately be approved and con.
structed.

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1965 FLOOD

Pictured above i3 a portion of the 1965 flood which
inundated area.s along the Fountain and Arkansas Rivers
in Southeastern Colorado. This flood wen of short dura-
tion, and was caused by heavy rains at the headwaters of
the Fountain Creek, which is normally a dry area. This
flood. and numerous others down through the years, have
caused the Corps of Engineers to study the Valley, to
determine how such floods can be reduced in number
and intensity.

STATE WATER LEGISLATION

The Colorado General Assembly passed Senate Bill
407, and appropriated approximately $150,000 to be
administered by the Director of the Department of Nat-
ural Resources, to review all existing Colorado Water
Laws; to determine the sufficiency of existing Laws; and
to make recommendations on new legislation which would
bring about maximum beneficial use of ground and sur-
face water throughout the state of Colorado. The Director
of Natural Resources retained a member of the staff of
the Attorney General's Office, who in turn employed out-
standing Water Attorneys and Engineering Firms to

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