WSP04363

• File Number: 8210.110.60
• Description: Colorado River Water Users Association
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 12/6/1951
• Author: CRWUA
• Title: Proceedings of the 8th Annual Conference
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

below Gila Bend are vexing already. To complicate the picture, uses made of
the water may add significant amounts of chemical constituents to water supplies.

In view of the foregoing factors, and as additional man-made changes
in the basin take place, it seems desirable that a more thorough evaluation
of all the hydrologic elements be made than is available at present. The
present program of surface-, ground-, and quality-of-water investigations
needs thorough review in order to be assured that the basic facts obtained
are adequate for solving all planning, development and operating problems
in the basin. Such a comprehensive program needs the assistance and support
of all interested State and Federal agencies.

Special water-loss studies are being carried on by the Geological
Survey in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, the Electronics Labora-
tory of the Navy at San Diego, and the Weather Bureau. The pilot evaporation
studies at Lake Hefner, Oklahoma, are now essentially completed and final
re~orts will soon be available on (1) the heat or energy budget method, and
(2) the turbulent transport method, as checked by reliable measurements of
inflow and outflow of the lake.

It is believed that the energy budget method can be applied with
success to determination of evaporation from open water. Arrangement has
been made to determine the evaporation losses of Lake Mead by this method
and perhaps next year some tangible results can be reported. It is believed
that use of the turbulent transport method will be helpful in determining
water losses on land areas. Investigations are expected to be carried on
during the coming year or two.

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COLORADO RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT

Wesley R. Nelson, Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation

The future development of the Colorado River Basin will be largely
influenced by decisions made with regard to authorization and construction
of the Colorado River Storage Project. That Project is the key to successful
utilization of water of the Upper Basin for most new projects in that area.
It would provide assistance to irrigation projects in the Upper Basin and
make possible the delivery on schedule of water required by the Lower Basin
in accordance with the Colorado River Compact. During the past year the
Bureau of Reclamation released its report on the Colorado River Storage
Project and Participating Projects, and 10 reports dealing specifically
with each new participating project.

The Colorado River Storage Project comprises ten multiple-purpose
reservoirs selected as the most efficient combination pOSSible from the stand-
points of conservation of water, power generation, requirements of the Colorado
River Compact, the Upper Colorado River Compact and the Mexican Treaty, and
aid to irrigation projects. Initial units would be:

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