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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE BUREAU OF SPORT FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE P. o. BOX 1306 ALBUQUERQUE:, NE:W MEXICO December 9, 1960 SOUTHWEST REGION (REGION 2) ARIZONA COLORADO KANSAS NEW MEXICO OKLAHOMA TEXAS UTAH WYOM INGI ADDRESS ONLY THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR 2 -RBS Memorandllm To: Regional Director, RegIon 5, Bureau of Reclamation, Amari 110, Texas From: Acting Regional Director Subject: Closed Basin Division, San Luis Valley Project, Colorado - Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife Report This memorand~ .constltutes our report on the fish and wi Idllfe resources of the Closed Basin Division, San Luis Valley Project, Colorado. This project was authorized under a Secretarial finding of feasibility, dated April 10, 1940, in conformity with the pro- visions of Section 90f the Reclamation Project Act of 1939, It is our understanding that reauthorization of the Closed Basin Division, San Luis Valley Project, wi II be sought by the Bureau of Reclamation, This report has been prepared under authority of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat. 401, a.s amended; 16 U.S.C. 661 et seq.). A preliminary reconnaissance report dated October 12, 1959, was previously furnIshed to the Bureau of Recla- mation. The Colorado Department of Game and Fish cooperated in preparation of this report and concurrence was indicated in a let- ter to th I s off I ce dated November 29, 1960, signed by Laurence E.. Riordan, Acting Director. This report has also received concurrence of the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish in a letter dated November 3, 1960, signed by Fred A. Thompson, Director. r r ~" '- ~ . '''"'::' .,j' j,. .1,.1 1 The Closed Basin, a 2,940-square-mlle area located north' of ~onte Vista and Alamosa, is In the northenQportlon of the San Luis Valley of south-central Colorado. The valley proper ranges In elevation from about 7,500 to 8,000 feet above mean sea level, Essentially the Closed Basin Is a sump into which drain several creeks and IrrIgation diversionS from the Rio Grande. The San Jua.n Mounta I ns on the wes t and the Sang re de C r I s to Moun ta I ns on the east merge to form the northern boundary of the basin. A low alluvial divide at the southern end separates the basin from the Rio Grande. Plate I shows the location of project features. The purpose of the project is to salvage unconfined ground water and available surface flows In the Closed Basin now being lost by evaporation or cons~ed by salt grass, rabbit brush, greasewood,