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-, .~.f8 'r~ - I;U.L ,-;] SAN LUIS VALLEY WATER continued from page 15 ed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Closed Basin Project. The Closed Basin Project is fully computerized. Water level data is gener- ated at each remote well site. Data from the shallow salvage wells, plus observa- tion wells in the confined aquifer, log into headquaners in A1amosa every two hours. There are compact agreements on the Rio Grande that spell out the amount of water that Colorado is required to deliver to New Mexico-and that the United States is required to deliver to Mexico. Historically, Colorado has had trouble meeting its Rio Grande compact agreement, a fact which has led to many unpleasantries among Valley water users. The Closed Basin Project, once reviled by the Valley, has now gained considerable popularity because it helps Colorado meet those compact agree- ments, which takes the strain off of up- stream ditch companies. "What we're doing is really helping small farmers," explains Jim Mueller, a project official. It works like this. The nonhern end of the Valley is a closed basin, with no streams to drain it into the Rio Grande. It's deepest part, the bowl-shaped "sump" could be likened to a giant tail- water area, says Lynn Elfrink, project engineer for the Bureau of Reclamation. The Closed Basin Project's salvage pumps, all located in the shallow aquif- er, take that sump water into laterals that feed into the project's conveyance canal. The canal carries it to the Rio Grande. That water, which would other- wise be lost to evapo-transpiration through desert-type plants, goes to meet the Rio Grande compact agreement. The project also supplies water to the Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge and the Blanca Wildlife Habitat Areas. In addition, it supplies its fresh water to San Luis Lake to help refill it and dilute a salinity problem there. The lake will be developed for public recreation by the Colorado State Parks Department. The United States of America has en- tered the legal battle against A WDI on There are about 1,800 center pivots In the Valley. Farmers agree that only careful management keeps the Valley's artesian water system in balance. Cl1rlstlne Anderson Photo 18 behalf of the Closed Basin Project, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Attor- neys for the U.S. Depanment of Justice are preparing the federal government's case. One of their concerns is that the Closed Basin Project might be damaged by drawdown from AWDI wells. AW- DI's amended application addresses that problem and promises "to keep the Closed Basin whole," says Dale Schaffer. Any damage would be mitigat- ed by replacement water from A WDI wells, he says. However, John Hill, an attorney with the Justice Department, says the amended application does little to change the federal government's op- position. Schaffer points out' that A WDI has said from the beginning that it wants its Baca Project to benefit the Valley. That concern has now been addressed by its new joint venture to establish an agricul- tural cooperative farm on the Baca Ranch with its new partner known as the Sangre de Cristo Community Company. That company is a for-profit offshoot of the recently organized, nonprofit Center Economic Development Corpo- ration. That development corporation is located in the Valley at the town of Center. A WDI committed itself to the Joint Venture Project in August and has agreed to up to two years of additional funding, with the promise of more if it gets a favorable ruling on its water, says Schaffer. A WDI values its contribution to the first two years of the Joint Ven- ture Project at $500,000 which includes: an organizational grant of $65,000 to the Center Economic Development Cor- poration; a "favorable lease" of 209 acres of irrigated land on the Baca; 200 head of cattle as well as grazing land; the loan of employees to the project; tech- nical assistance and up to two years of additional funding. More would come, if A WDI wins its water right. One other thing that has come of the water war is a costly legal battle. If you ask "How much?" and farmers are apt to just give an angry shrug that says "Who knows?" Meanwhile, Jason Kirkpatrick's two wells are in doubt. "I'm in limbo." What about AWDI? "If they get a drop, they'll get it all," he believes. "They'll say whatever they need to say to get the first drop and then there is no end. It'll be just like California. They (water developers) took those boys out of business." . Colorado Rancher & Farmer