WSP04033

• File Number: 8220.112.D
• Description: Dallas Creek Participating Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Gunnison
• Water Division: 4
• Date: 3/10/1966
• Author: USDOI-BOR
• Title: Report on the Dallas Creek Project
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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37,000 acre-feet annually. This depletion would be within the
apportionment of consumptive use of water made to Colorado by the
Upper Colorado River Basin Compact and remaining for use by the
State after development of its authorized projects and other projects
likely to be developed prior to the Dallas Creek Project.

The National Park Service found that the Ridgway, Dallas Divide, and
Sneva Reservoirs would all be suitable for recreation. On the recom-
mendation of that Service, recreation development at each reservoir
is included in the project plan. project plans for the relocation of
roads and for the location of borrow areas and construction camps
would be coordinated with plans of that Service. Also, as recommended
by the National Park Service, project-acquired lands would not be used
for private summer homesites. Data on reereation development for each
of the project reservoirs are as follows:

Dallas
Ridgway Divide Sneva Total

Construction costs
Annual OM&R costs
Annual benefits

$766,000
61,600
270,000

$300,000
20,460
50,400

$25,000
1,840
3,800

$1,091,000
83,900
324,200

The Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife concluded that the project
as planned would mitigate losses and estimated that it would provide
about $80,700 annually in fishery and waterfowl production benefits.
In addition, the project would mitigate losses to wildlife SO far as
possible. On recommendation of that bureau, several measures are
included at a project cost of $196,000 specifically for conservation
and development of the fish and wildlife resources, and provision is
made for maintenance of streamflows for fishery so far as compatible
with other project purposes.

The project plan provides for the recommended Uncompahgre River flows
to be maintained at all times for fishery purposes, except in occasional
short winter periods in critically low runoff years when maintenance
would be incompatible with other project purposes. During these
critical periods, however, the flows would never. be permitted to drop
below 25 cubic feet per second. In order to maintain flows for fish
in the Uncompahgre River as planned, the capacity of Ridgway Reservoir
would need to be increased by about 40,000 acre-feet over the capacity
that would otherwise be required for project purposes. The flows
recommended for the ,West Fork would be maintained. from May to October
but normally the stream would be dewatered in the remainder of the
year by diversions to the Dallas Feeder Canal. Funds are included. for
measures to mitigate the fishery losses in the West Fork.

Deer range on Log Hill Mesa would be reduced with irrigation of new
lands but this loss would be partially mitigated by development of a

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