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,.. {l.C .~ f; Fryingpan-Arkansas Project (Under Construction) Colorado: Eagle, Pitkin, Lake, Chaffee, Fremont, EI Paso, Pueblo, Otero, Crowley, Bent, Prowers, and Kiowa Counties Lower Missouri Region Bureau of Reclamation The Fryingpan-Arkansas Project is a multipurpose trans- mountain diversion development in southeastern Col- orado. It will make possible an average annual diversion of 69,200 acre-feet of surplus water from the Fryingpan River and other tributaries of the Roaring Fork River on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains to the Arkan- sas River on the eastern slope. Water diverted from the western slope, together with available water supplies in the Arkansas River Basin, . will provide an average annual water supply of 163,100 acre-feet for supplemental irrigation of 280,600 acres in the Arkansas Valley. The project also will provide an an- nual supply of 40,988 acre-feet of water for use in several eastern slope municipalities (20,100 acre-feet to Colorado Springs, 8.040 acre-feet to Pueblo. and the remainder to ~ I I- I Ruedi Dam and Reservoir Region Revision 7/82 1L'_u__ n' ..... \a Book) other valley cities and towns which have requested proj- ect water to replace unsatisfactory supplies). The authorized plan for the project included two power- plants, with a total capacity of 211 megawatts. However. the potential power system is subject to modification and further study. PLAN There are two distinct areas of the project: The western slope, located within the boundaries of the White River National Forest at elevations above 10,000 feet; and the eastern slope in the Arkansas River Valley. These areas are separated by the Continental Divide which. in many places, exceeds an elevation of 12,000 feet. The project plan consists of facilities designed primarily to divert water from the western slope to the water-short areas of the eastern slope. There are six dams and reservoirs in the project: Ruedi Dam and Reservoir, on the western side of the mountain, is located on the Fryingpan River upstream from Basalt, Colo. j four dams and reservoirs on the eastern slope in the upper regions include Sugar Loaf Dam and Tur- quoise Lake, Mt. Elbert Forebay Dam and Reservoir, Twiu Lakes Dam and Reservoir, and Clear Creek Dam and Reservoir. The largest of the Fryingpan-Arkausas Project storage units, Pueblo Dam and Reservoir, is on ( the Arkansas River west of Pueblo, Colo. I Sixteen diversion structures on the western slope are used to divert water into the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project col~ lection system. The plan includes nine tunnels with a combined length of 26.7 miles. The Western Slope Ruedi Dam and Reservoir provide storage for replace- ment and regulation of approximately 100,000 acre-feet of water for the western slope users. This water will be used for irrigation and municipal benefits, and recrea- tion and fish and wildlife enhancement.