WSP04694

• File Number: 8281.400
• Description: Colorado River Studies and Investigations -- Colorado River Depletion Projections
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 6/1/1965
• Author: C. Jex Engineers
• Title: Report on Water Runoff and Stream Depletion of the Main Stem Colorado River Basin in Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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in need of supplemental water for full crop production.
The lands of short water supply are located along the smaller
tributary stream valleys and in the Cattle Creek or the Basalt
Project area. The present stream depletion chargeable to irri-
gation use of subbasin water is 46,500 acre feet.
The population of the subbasin as given in the 1960
census, report is 8,553. This figure includes the population
of the cities and towns as well as ranch and rural area popu-
lation and reflects a 61% growth in the 30 year period 1930 to
1960. The water diverted annually from natural streams for
the service of subbasin population is 2,000 to 3,000 acre
feet and of this amount, less than 1,000 acre feet is consump-
tively used. The annual stream depletion resulting from muni-
cipal,domestic, industrial use of water and reservoir evap-
oration is estimated to average 2,200 acre feet.
Two transmountain diversion water tunnels are used
for the exportation of water from subbasin streams to the
Arkansas River basin of Eastern Colorado. The tunnels were
both constructed prior to the beginning of the study period
and have remained in continuous service since that time. No
material enlargement or expansion of the tunnels or associated
diversion facilities have been made since the beginning of the
study period. The water annually exported by the two tunnels
is given in the following table:

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