WSP03767

• File Number: 8141
• Description: Fryingpan-Arkansas Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 12/9/1960
• Author: SEWCD
• Title: Brochure No. 2 - Operating Principles Fryingpan Arkansas Project And Excerpts From Letter To Secretary Of Interior
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

PREAMBLE.

The Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy
District was created by the District Court in Pueblo,
Colorodo, on the 29th doy of April, 1958, following
the circulation of petitions throughout the nine coun.
ties which stood to derive benefits from the Fryingpon-
Arkansas proiect.
This brochure, and others in the series, are in-
tended to help identify the absolute importonre of
water in the Arkansas Valley of Colorado. It is entitled
"The future of the Arkansas Volley is its woter", and
certainly no stalement con better identify the fact
that the one single item which predicates the future
of this area is its use of woter, Areas which have
. water can plan for unlimited growth and prosperity,
Others, which have water in limited quantity, but use
it and protect it wisely, con have limited growth and
prosperity. Those areas which do not plan for fut~re
development and use of this precious commodIty,
hove already established the point and time beyond
which they cannot grow and prosper.

The Fryingpan.Arkansas water project began os
o dream many years ago, when a few visonary men
and women realized the seriousness of woter. They
set about studying the water lows of Colorado: the
amounts of water to which the citizens of this state
were legally entitled, but which they were not using;
the engineering involved in making this water avail-
able to the citizens of Colorado; and the procedures
to be followed in making their dreams a reality,
They sifted reams of information, held countless
in-!otate and out-of-state meetings, and finally deter-
mined the Fryingpan project was the best way to get
Colorado and Arkansas river water for the present
and future citizens of the semi-arid Arkansas Valley.

On August 16, 1962, President John F. Kennedy
signed the bill passed earlier by the Congress of The
United States creating the Fryingpan.Arkansas proj-
ect, The Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy
District become the legal agency responsible for
the repayment of the reimburseoble portion of this
multi-million dollar multi. purpose project. The in-
formation contained in this, and other brochures,
explain the critical role being performed by the
District and the serious responsibilities which have
been imposed upon the fifteen men who serve as
directors for this agency.

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OPERATING PRINCIPLES
FRYINGPAN-ARKANSAS PROJECT

ADOPTED BY THE STATE OF COLORADO
APRIL 3D, 1959

(As amended December 30, 1959,
and December 9, 1960)

I
'f

The construction and operation of the project
involve the diversion of water from the headwaters
of the Fryingpan River and other tributaries of the
Roaring Fork River to the Arkansas River Basin.

The project contemplotes _
(a) The maximum conservation and use of
water;
(b) The protection of western Colorado water
uses, both existing and potential in accordance with
1he declared policy of the State of Colorado; and
(c) The preservation of recreational values.
In order to accomplish such purposes, the project
sholl be operated by the United States in compliance
with the Federal reclamation lows, the lows of the
State of Colorado relating to the appropriation, use,
or distribution of water, and the following operating
principles:
1. As used herein:
(a) "Project" means that certain enterprise plan-
ned and designed by the Bureau of Reclamation,
Department of the Interior, for the transmountain di-
version of water from the headwaters of the Frying-
pan River and other tributaries of the Roaring Fork
River to the basin of the Arkansas River, toge1her
with all of its appurtenant works and facilities in
both eos1ern and western Colorado.
(b) "Eastern Colorado" means that portion of
the State of Colorado lying within the natural drain-
age basin of the Arkansas River,
(c) "Western Colorado" means that portion of
the State of Colorado lying within the naturol drain-
age basin of the Colorado River and served by diver-
sions mode from the Colorado River, or its tributaries,
above its confluence with the Gunnison River.
(d) "Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy
District" means that entity created to contract for
payment to the United States of an appropriate por.
tion of proiect cost allocated to certain water uses
in eastern Colorado.

2. The Ruedi Reservoir sholl be constructed and
maintained on the Fryingpan River above the town
of Basalt with on active capacity of not less than
100,000 acre. feet. In addition thereto and in order
to offset adverse streamflow conditions on the Roar.

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