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<br />Chapter 1 - Introduction <br /> <br />with a surface area of 359 acres when full. <br /> <br />Another primary project feature is the Silt Pumping Plant, which has a capacity of <br />36 cubic feet per second and is located adjacent to the Colorado River about 2 <br />miles east of the town of Silt. The 7.6-mile-long Silt Pump Canal extends <br />northwest from the pumping plant discharge line, carrying irrigation water to land <br />on the lower portion of Silt Mesa (this was called Harvey Mesa during planning for <br />the project in the 1950's and 60's). <br /> <br />5. Project Operation <br /> <br />Water rights for the project are held by SWCD with decreed uses being irrigation, <br />boating, piscatorial (fish), and recreation. The rights carry an appropriation date <br />of November 20, 1951. <br /> <br />Some project water is released directly from Rifle Gap Reservoir into Davie Ditch, <br />which had been abandoned but was rehabilitated to supply irrigation water to <br />project lands on Davie Mesa. The majority of reservoir releases are made to meet <br />downstream Rifle Creek diversion rights for nonproject lands. These releases <br />allow additional diversions from East Rifle Creek upstream from Rifle Gap <br />Reservoir for project use. Delivered through the Grass Valley Canal, this exchange <br />water provides a full irrigation supply for new project lands and a supplemental <br />supply to project lands previously irrigated through Grass Valley Canal diversions <br />and with Harvey Gap Reservoir storage. <br /> <br />The Dry Elk Valley lateral carries water from the Grass Valley Canal to both full <br />and supplemental service lands in Dry Elk Valley. Under project operation, Harvey <br />Gap Reservoir, which previously filled and emptied each year, now stores and <br />regulates water for a longer irrigation season and added recreational benefits. <br /> <br />Water from the Silt Pumping Plant is used as a supplemental supply, or as a <br />replacement supply, for project land formerly irrigated with Colorado River water <br />pumped at high cost from the Cactus Valley Ditch. It also is used as an exchange <br />for non project water to replace Harvey Gap Reservoir water for project lands <br />above the Silt Pump Canal. Reclamation has set aside 5,000 acre-feet of water <br />from Green Mountain Reservoir for use as a replacement source for out-of-priority <br />diversions by the Silt Pumping Plant. <br /> <br />6. Project Benefits <br /> <br />Irrigation benefits are primarily growing the major local crops, including alfalfa, <br />small grains, and hay, which are used for livestock feed. In 1994, 5,915 acres <br /> <br />6 <br />