WSP06343

• File Number: 8220.124.A
• Description: Pine River
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 1/1/1951
• Author: USDOI Bureau of Recl
• Title: Pine River Project Extension Colorado and New Mexico
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

BUREAU OF RECLAMA TION REPORT

lands. Some changes in the district boundaries may be desirable; how-
ever, to exclude lands that would not be irrigated and to include lands
outside the present boundaries that would be irrigated. The irrigation
district could not include lands in New Mexico but it could contract
with the land owners in New Mexico for payment of their share of proj-
ect costs. Changes in Colorado>s present irrigation district laws
would be required to permit assessment of presently irrigated lands
and extension lands at different rates and for different improvE'!llents
and benefits.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs would be responsible for handling
project costs allocated to Indian lands and to the few tracts of non-
Indian land that are within the boundaries of the Pine River Indian
irrigation project.

Eepayment

Non-Indian lands. The Pine River irrigation district could col-
lect from the extension lands a maximum of $3.80 an acre annually, the
amount estimated from farm budget analyses as payable toward all water
charges. First claim on the money collected would be for payment of
obligations to the existing Pine River project and district operation
costs. The money remaining after payment of these costs would be
available for payment of extension costs. Estimated repayments by non-
Indian lands are summarized in the table on the follo~ng page. In
arriving at the estimated repayments it was necessary to make various
assumptions, the more important of Which follow.

1. The extension would be authorized in 1952 and completed in
1954.

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2. Operation, maintenance, and replacement costs for the exist-
ing project and district administrative costs would amount to $12,000
annually until the extension was completed and thereafter to $8,000
annually.

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3. The district would be obligated for $1,537,050 or five-sixths
of the reimbursable project cost estimated by the Secretary of the
Interior, and payments would be made on the graduated basis fixed in
the present contract.

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4. In order to pay obligations of the existing project and meet
administrative costs the district would continue through 1952 to col-
lect assessments from the 44,650 acres now paying and thereafter col-
lections would be mads from the 39,530 acres of non-Indian land
presently irrigated and in the extension.

5. In the eve.nt it is determined that refunds should be made to
the 8,090 acres contributing toward project costs from 1943 through

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