WSP03502

• File Number: 8111.600
• Description: ARCA Annual Reports
• Basin: Arkansas
• Date: 12/9/1975
• Author: ARCA
• Title: Twenty-Seventh Annual Report Arkansas River Compact Administration for the Year 1975
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

Conservation storage on April I, 1975 was B,5S5 acre feet. The first
demands for reservoir water during the summer storage period were
made on April 8, 1975 at 8:30 a,m., when conservation storage had
reached 6,758 acr(~ feet. A reservoir release of 1,000 cfs was made to
satisfy the Kansas demand of 400 cfs and the Colorado demand of 600
cfs, In <:lddition a river now of 12 cfS was continued to satisfy the
Colorado demand for river now, The reservoir release of 1,000 cfs.plus
river flow was maintained until the reservoir was emptied at 9: 00 p.m.
on April 12, 1975. The gate remained open and the river was then ad.
ministered accordmg to the Colorado priority system until winter
storage began at midnight on October 31. 1975,
For the second year in a row, irrigators in the Arkansas Valley
encountered severe watp.r shortages. A few localized rain storms oc-
curred during June, July and August in Colorado Water District fj]
causing damage to sel/eral irrigation canals.

The river f16w into John Marlin Reservoir during the 1975 compact
year totaled 94,500 acre feet which exceeded the 1974 compact year
tolal of 77 .55U acre feet. but still rell far below the 1949-74 yearly
average of \7[,022 acre feet. Ditch diversions during the 1975 compact
\-'ear ill Colorado Water District 67 were 100,729 acre feet. Ditch
diverSions In Kansas from the stateHne to Garden City during the same
period. were 25,111 acre feet.

9, GAGING STATIONS

In general, streamnow records of satisfactory accuracy were ob-
taineu at the Compact station~ Emphasis was continued on performing
additional field work to increase the accuracy of the record:::; and on
pro\'iding curren I streamflow data to the Administration and State
officials as reQuired, Because of travel limitations imposed on the U. S,
G, S., extra travel was cut to a minimum,
There are differences in the releases from the reservoir, as
measured at the gaging station, and the daily demands by Colorado
and Kansas. To minimize these differences the gaging ~':tation below
John Martm ReservOIr was relocated just downstream from the dam,
and a concrete control was built and put into operation April 9, 1975.
The old gage 1.5 miles downstream was continued in operation until
July 2, l1Ji5, to get an overlap of the records. The telemark was moved
to the new gage, but the cableway for measuring high flows is still
located at the old site. High stage measurements can be made at the
bridge just downstream until funds arc available to move the cable,
Some vandalism was experienced during the year at the station
Purgatoire River at Las Animas by motorcyclists running up and down
the ri\'erbed
The radio stations althe four gages continue to give trouble because
of their age. Plans are being made to try to replace these prior to the
197ii irrigation season.
The Administrat ion approved a cooperative agreement with the
Geological Survey for the fiscal year ,July 1, 1975 to Jtu1e I, 1976, in the
amoilllt or $ 8.000; $ 4.IJOO for each party, These filllds are for the
operation of the Compact Station at Lamar. the additional field work at
other compact stations, the providing of current streamflow data,
maintenance of radio equipment. and the preparation of records for the
Annua I Report.

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