WSP04972

• File Number: 8509
• Description: San Luis Valley
• State: CO
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Water Division: 3
• Date: 9/26/1974
• Title: Garcia Water Problems
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Board compact negotiation files, it does not appear that the
Garcia interests were represented during the compact negotiations;
however, most of the blame for this can be vested with the Garcia
people themselves.

Conclusions and recommendations

The Garcia people have been victims of some extremely
unfortunate circumstances. It is doubtful that, with the limited
resources available to them, they could adequately defend their
interests against the promoters of the Sangre de cristo Grant.
It is also doubtful, since the present owners acquired the water
rights in question in a lawful manner, and because SO much time
has lapsed, that any relief could be provided if it were established
that the water rights were acquired by the Development Company in a
fraudulent manner.

There are two possible courses of action available to
the Garcia residents to solve their water problems. Either could
provide both domestic and irrigation water. They are construction
of the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation's Costilla Project or construc-
tion of water wells.

The Costilla Project would supply water for the irrigation
of 10,000 acres of land located in the Costilla, Eastdale, and
Jaroso areas and includes some fish and wildlife benefits. The
project would rehabilitate and improve the Costilla Dam, Eastdale
Dam No.1, and Cerro diversion and distribution facilities. In
addition, a new dam would be constructed near Amalia, New Mexico.
A reconnaissance report prepared by the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation
in 1965 and revised in 1967 shows the benefit-cost ratio to be
2.84 using 3 1/8 percent interest. Since 6,400 acres of the
10,000 acres is new irrigation, the project plan could easily be
modified to include domestic and supplemental irrigation water for
the community of Garcia.

The project was discussed with Mr. Bob Schembra of the
Albuquerque office of the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation. Schembra
said that additional feasibility studies have not been completed
for the project for two reasons. First, official comments, either
for or against the project, have not been submitted by the State
of Colorado. Second, the State of New Mexico will not support the
project until it has been determined that water will be available

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