WSP05238

• File Number: 8509
• Description: San Luis Valley
• State: CO
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Water Division: 3
• Date: 2/26/1935
• Title: Report of San Luis Valley Drain Committee to Administrator Harold L. Ickes
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Haro it o.ppoQrs the.t tho toto.l solids in tho '.mt"r of

80..'1 Luis Lf\ko e,vorQISC c.bout 850 pccrts por million ydth chlorino

so.lts prodominc.ting.

Ls c.n inclico.tor of tho probo.blc quality of tho we.ter

to b 0 dis cho.rged by tho Sem Lui s Vf'c11oy Dr~.in, we inclino to

ro.to the water of Sen Luis Lo..ko nheo.d of thut tuken from tho clrain

in th() Cc.rmcl District. At tho sh.rt of tho oporcctiens, it is to

be oxpected that tho salt content of the ..,utor in tho drcin nt

c. point ovon vTith tho lo.ko wi 11 bo about tho sumo c.s tho lake for

tho Inko rucci vOs wntor from tho srune region res will tho drr.in,

ond might bo suppcsod to hnvG offected sono concentration of se.lts

through G VL poro. tion.

Tho wutor ontoring tho drc,in bohroon Seen Luis Luko "-nd

tho Rio Grando is expoctod to como rclmost entirely from the oust,

und it .,ill helVe trnvorsod t'lO SQl!j<J courso the,t in tho PQst it

11."'8 travorsod in roccc"ing tho su..mp or trough, thoro to bo ovc.porQt-

ad. This oV['.porc.t:lOY.l hns b,:)on raing 011 for nnny YCCl.rs.l r~nd if

t>.O ,',ro..tors hOod beon bir;hl:r ch::-.rgod "d.th :nIts.. thoro would hC'.vo

boon in ovidonco on tho grou.'1d Qn c.ccunul~tion oi' salts groatly

in oxcoss of what is c.ctually found thero. Instoad of tho

prolific growth of' bru sl1 o.,lcl se-l t grass tL are would bo " sr.l t

deposit of SOfie mr.torial thiclmoss. It SC01,lS tlmt on the wholo,

so f["l.r 0.8 contribution of vrn.tor fron the vOost is concarnod, thoro

will bo 0. r.1.'""\.tori".l froshening of tho ~~m.tor in tho dr~in in tho

futuro. Ground 1;mtor in mo.tori -:-.1 o....""J.ount 1'rill entor i'ron tho west

only in yorers of high runoff .-Thon the dre-in "bove Head Lreko will

recoi vo loss concentro.ted flood WD.tors originr.ting in tho northern

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