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

I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I

o
c;
e."
I'-
t.n
.~
!

presently irrigated totals 55,680 acres. Of this total it is
estimated that 2,420 acres will be required for industrial de-
velopm~nt and urbanization leaving an ultimate irrigated area
of 53,260 acres. This expanded new land irrigation and the
anticipated supplemental water service would result in an addi-
tional annual stream depletion of 21,800 acre feet.
The potential of new transmountain diversions of
water from subbasin streams has likewise been investigated
over a;period of years. It appears at this time that the ex-
portat~on of additional water from subbasin streams may be
confin~d to the water divertable by the Fryingpan-Arkansas
Project as now under construction. Project facilities provide
for the diversion of water from the head tributary streams of
the Fryingpan River, Hunter Creek and an increase of water
diversion by the existing Twin Lakes Tunnel. The increase in
diverted water would average 80,100 acre feet per year.
Estimates of anticipated population growth indicates
that the 1960 subbasin population of 8,553 may well be expanded
to 36,000. This estimate of growth is based on the develop-
ment of a shale oil industry in the Colorado River valley down-
stream 'from Glenwood Springs, expanded recreation, coal mining
and prdcessing and the irrigation expansion previously dis-
cussed. The annual water diversion requirement for a popula-
tion of 36,000 is 9,000 to 12,000 acre feet. It is estimated
that of this amount, 3,600 acre feet will be consumptively
used with the balance returned to the natural stream.

25

J~