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uouu ,u. T-' .-.... ~16-.- WATER ~S1JPPLr FOR'.THEccSAN JUAN-CHAMA 'PROJ'ECW J"o">\ Gommentsand conclusions-Animas.La Plata project Colorado's concei'n with respect to authorization of the Navajo and . San Juan-Chama projects has been the relationship, with respect' to' water supply, of these two projects to the proposed Animas-La Plata project, ltn 85,000-acre development on the Animas River of which' 64,000 acres would be in Colorado, There apparently is sufficient water in the Animas River to meet the needs of this project and supply downstream natural flow rights but the problem is providing sufficient storage for regulation, The Bureau indicates flows averaging 392,000 acre-feet are available for meeting the project demands after meeting bypass requirements for uses downstream. The Bureau indicates a diversion requirement of about 260,000 acre-feet for the Animas-La Plata project. With the limited storage available and planned, the Bureau's ~peration studies indicated that there would be shortages in certain years. The Bureau testified that shortages would run as high as 49 percent but that they were tolerable, These figures were based upon the 1954 status report on the project, Subsequent to the hear- in~s, I have been advised by the Bureau that their detailed studies hava now been completed and that the feasibility report will indicate that the shortages will be1ess than anticipated, with a high of 31 per- cent and an average for the 30-year period of only 3.6 percent, This is due principally to the fact that the final plan for the Animas-La Plata provides more storage capacity than originally contemplated. The Upper Colorado ~iver Commission studies of the AI1imas River resulted in a finding that there is ample water from the Animas River for the Animas-La Plata project, even under conditions of adverse stream runoff, which is in agreement with the Bureau's testimony to the oommittee. The Jex study is in substantial agreement with the Bureau's studies with respect to future water needs in the Animas River Basin a.nd the La Plata River Basin. . The position of the Southwestern Water Conservation District is that the Navajo Reservoir should be operated to meet all downstream natural flow rights below the confluence of the Animas and San Juan Rivers that may conflict with water uses from the Animas River and from the La Plata River, The language in the legislation which has been agreed to by the States of Colorado and New Mexico would permit the downstream rights to be satisfied by releases from Navajo Reservoir, provided there is a contract covering such releases, but in any years when there are shortages all projects and contractors benefiting from the Navajo Reservoir operation would be on parity and shortages would be shared equitably in proportion to diversion requirements. The district is concerned that there may be overburdening of the water supply from Navajo Reservoir by future diversions out of the basin and by future municipal and industrial uses downstream which will result in excessive shortages during critical periods of runoff. The district is unwilling to share such prospective excessive shortages. The district wants the natural flow rights, which may conflict with uses from the Animas River or its tributaries, to have the first priority in releases from Navajo Reservoir. While I don't believe that the district is fully justified in its position, I can understand its concern since any overburdenin~ of the water supply from the Navajo Reser- voir would be for future uses in New Mexico, including possible additional transmountain diversions, The district takes the position " \.: ;it .~~kl