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

Through importation of new water, improved
regulation of existing water supplies, and reuse of
return flows, the project will provide an overage an.
nual increased conal headgate supply of 163,100
acre-feet of supplemental irrigation water for a totol
of 280,600 acres. These lands are located within the
Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District,
and will be served by existing distribution systems.
About 267 800 acres ore located in the Arkansas
Volley and' will receive service directly from impor1a-
tion of new water and the improved regulation of
existing weter supplies. The Fountain River Valley,
containing about 12,800 acres and located within
the Conservancy District, will receive indirect supplies
of supplemental water by return flows from project
municipal water allotted to Colorado Springs. Pro.
ject return Haws also will provide on addi1iona\
average of 29,500 acre-feet of water to lands outside
the District below the existing John Martin Reservoir
of the Army Corps of Engineers.

Estimates of the average annuClI increase of
163,100 acre.feet of supplemental irrigation water
for Disfrict lands ore as follows by sources:

Acre.feet

Direct water - released at Pueblo
, Reservoir. Western slope imports
plus conservation of flood flows _m
New water developed by Twin
lakes Canal Company _m _____________
Arkansas River winter stored water __
Subtotol um~~~~~m_____m
Indirect water - return flows and
reuse. Reuse from the new Twin
lakes water ______________
Return flows from municipal and
industrial water ___nmmnnmnnm_____
Reuse from project imports ___~____n~n
Subtotol u~_um__uumum_m____
Total average annual supplemental
supply mumu_unmmunm

49,500

11,800
65,900
127,200

4,700

11,400
19,800
----r5,900

163,100

The supplemental irrigation water supply will
alleviate to a large degree the water shortages ex-
perienced by the irrigation of the Arkansas Valley,
but is not adequate to completely eliminate short-
ages in 011 years. The preproject conal headgate
shortage for the 267,800 acres of Arkonsas Volley
lands currently averages 38 percent annually based
on a 47-yeor (1911-57) water operation study. The
post. project headgate shortage for these lands is
estimated to average 19 percent annually.

The Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy Dis-
trict, which includes the irrigable lands and the muni-
cipalities to receive project water, will be the princi-

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pal payment entity, In the event that the United
States construcls the municipal water conveyance sys-
tems, the repayment in 50 years, with interes1, of the
construction cost of such facilities will be covered by
separate contracts to be entered into prior to con.
struction of the conveyance systems.

The annual service charge payable by the Dis-
trict pursuant to Article 11 of the contract consists of
three components as follows:

1, An amount equal to the yield from 0 levy
of nine-tenths of one mill on the assessed
valuation of all taxable property in the
District for the preceding year, as fixed by
the proper officials of the counties in which
the District lies;

2. Five dollars and forty cents (5AD) for each
acre-foot of project water delivered to the
District for irrigation and municipal and
industrial use; and

3, Two dollars and twenty.five cents (2.25)
for each acre.foot of winter stored water
delivered to the District.

The component based on the 0.9 mill ad valorem
tax levy is required to be paid every year whether
or not woter is delivered and is payable one.half on
June 30 and one.half on December 31 of the current
water delivery year. Payments for deliveries of pro-
ject water under (2) and winter-stored water under
(3) are to be made in advance.

Under Colorado law, the normal maximum ad
valorem tax levy the District con make is one mill
per dollar of assessed valuation commencing when
project water becomes available. The proposed con.
tract contemplates thot the District will assess the
one mill maximum and that 90 percent of the result.
ing revenues will be paid os a component of the an-
nual water service charge, The remaining 10 percent
will be used for meeting the District's administrative
and other costs.

Commencement of District payments for delivery
of winter stored water will depend on the successful
development of the winter storage program by the
District, The winter water storage program contem.
plates the storage of Arkansas River flows currently
being diverted for winter irrigation, under existing
water rights, during the 5-month period November 1
to March 31. Release of this stored water from Pue-
blo Reservoir during the ensuing summer irrigation
season is expected to be much more beneficial than
the present inefficient use of the water for winter
irrigation. Practically all of the 13 ditch companies
(serving a tolol of 255,000 acres) within the District
below Pueblo Reservoir currently practice winter irri-

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