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..~ ,'0 1J~ (\1 \_.) from the San Juan-Chama Project to replace the project's depletion. New Mexico takes the very reasonable attitude that its Rio Grande water allocated by the Rio Grande Compact is appropriated by existing users and will allow no new users in the Rio Grande basin unless transbasin water is imported to replace the depletion caused by the new users. At the present time, there is some question whether the Cerro and Taos units of the San Juan-Chama Project are feasible. If not, some San Juan-Chama water will be available for new projects and the costilla Project could become a reality. Co The recommended course of action to alleviate the water problems in Garcia is to construct two or more water wells--one would be constructed to supply the community's domestic water and one or more would be constructed to provide supplemental irrigation water. The irrigation well or wells would be used only when irrigation requirements could not be satisfied by diversion of the costilla Creek flow under existing direct flow decrees. Consulta- tion with staff of the Colorado Division of Water Resources has indicated that an adequate supply, in both quality and quantity, is available in either the deep alluvium at depths of 200-300 feet or in the deep volcanic aquifer at depths greater than 200 feet. A potential problem may develop since the Division of Water Resources has not been issuing permits for well construction in the costilla basin because of Colorado's Rio Grande Compact deficit. This problem can likely be overcome by using the wells as alternate points of diversion for the direct flow decrees in a well augmentation plan. Rough cost estimates were prepared using general assumptions to give the Garcia people an idea of what the well construction would cost. It was assumed that the domestic well would be 300 feet deep and would utilize two 10 gpm pumps. The estimated cost was $8,000. For the irrigation well, the assumptions were: 300 feet deep; 16-inch well casing; and 5 cfs (2,240 gpm) capacity. The estimated cost was $32,000. Of course, some pre- liminary engineering investigation would be required for more reliable cost estimates. It is possible that financial assistance in the form of grants and/or loans for construction of these wells could be obtained from the Farmers Home Administration, the Four Corners Regional Commission, and/or the Colorado Water Conservation Board. If the Garcia people are interested in pursuing these suggestions, they should contact the agencies named. -11-