WSP06249

• File Number: 8147
• Description: Gunnison Arkansas Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 3/1/1949
• Author: DOI-BOR
• Title: Reconnaissance Study on Municipal and Irrigation Water Supply Plans for Colorado Springs and the Fountain River Valley Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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PURPOSE OF REPORT

1. This study presents a brief analysis of potentialities for
increasing the municipal water supply of the city of Colorado Springs
and the irrigation supply for lands in the Fountain Valley. A plan
for suppl~ing munioipal water to Colorado Springs was presented in the
preliminary planning report on the potential Gunnison-Arkansas Project
dated June 19481 However, that report presented only one first-phase
plan for increasing the city's municipal supply by 2,700 aore-feet
!.nnually through a diversion fI'oln the BeaveI' Creek watershed with re-
plaoement from Oil Creek, Under that plan~ as a, part; of t he Initial
Phase of project develo?~9nt. the neoessary faoilities could be oon-
etructed by the oity a'ld replacemsnt water could be provided by the
t::-ansNolmtain diversion project. The projeot report also indioated
that 8_dditional munioipal water for the oity could be obtained in the
second"phase Maximum Gravity Diversion plan for the projeot. Not
presented in the projeot report were alternate possibilities or other
potential develvpments that are summarized in this reconnaissanoe
study.

PRESENT DEVELOPMENT

2. Colorado Springs ottains its municipal water from the slopes
of nearby Pikes Peak. The "outh slope was the first to be developed,
Rapid increases of populat~on made more water neoessary and additional
supplies were obtained from developments on the north slope, Seven
reservoirs on the south slope (name" Numbers 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, B. !!Ild
Lake Moraine) have a total storage capaoity of 6,B61 aore_feet, The
two north slope reservoirs--Crystal Creek and South Catamount--have
a combined capacity of 6,033 aore-feet, Three small distribution
reservoirs--Mesa No.1, Meca No.2, and Highland--nave a total oapao-
ity of 70 acre-feet, Add ice ional appurtenant collec-cion, distribut ion,
a~d treatment facilities complete the municipal system. All munioi-
pal water is metered to the 0 onsumsr s. The city also has a munici-
pally-owned power system which utilizes both steam and lwdro plants.
As of Deoember 31, 1946, the municipal plants had an installed oapaoity
of 21,000 kilowatts, a dependable capacity of 20,000 kw" and a net
annual capacity of 15,000 kw.

3. The population of Colorado Springs was 36..700 in 1940. Un-
offioial estimates by a local organization placed the 194B population
at 46,000. During World War II the oity supplied water to Peterson
Air Force Base and to Camp Carson, army installation now largely
deaotivated. Peterson Air Force Base, however, is used as the muni-
oipal airport. Heavy tourist travel during the summer months ra.ises
munioipal water oonsumpt ion during the corresponding highest demnd
period for irrigation water. Local industries and tlu> rf;.ilroads als,.

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