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<br />THE COLORADd-BIG THOMPSON PROJECT
<br />Till) BUREAU OF RECLAMAT~ON d~ 'Thewllter wile OlItheWestSlope,the/ertUe
<br />signed find OOIl~tructed thlll oomPIU,~t1PUt- lande noedlnglt on the &1st SJope-theRocky
<br />p.,.... ttansmoUlltaln water diversloll ec~ at Mountal.n& ware the blU'rler betweeIl. "Th.e water
<br />th"reqU&8C otthll pOOple ofnoriho)h Colo- could not bll brought OVe~ the mountalns,_1lOl:
<br />re.Qo. 'Th.oyarIl8wvooandben.ell.t IUila PmUIldtbem.
<br />mw:h of the Nation. by mora t;h1l.D 1 proJ8(lt Alter frequent yeatS of drQught and JHi.rd.
<br />fell.t:ul'OIlwblch COllVl\y, store andprov:lllwatet ships, the cltlzenllll.9kedthllBurellllofRecla_
<br />whell nO<<l$d. ~ mst.lon to U8lll18 engineerlng ekUU to "Find II
<br />! Way." The way Will! found: Plercll the Contl-
<br />The Colorado-Blg Thomp8011 Pt9Jact In nentlll Divide-bring the water through the
<br />northea.atarn Cclorado collects, 8tor~ regu.. mounta1ll11.
<br />latllll and dlvert8 water of !h.ll Upper lorlldo
<br />RIver for 8upplem8lltallrrlBatlon of 20,000
<br />aeresorrertllelWld.lnthe8;oulhPlattefUvllr
<br />BlUItn. :Eleatrlcenergy genllrllt6dbY\bffsll1"8'
<br />."'aterI8IlPrlnclPalPurpol&Qflhe~OO'
<br />Other plll'pOS8ll lU'e munlc!pel and I atrial
<br />water allppllee, tlood con!:rol, fteh Wldi' Ite
<br />enhancement, water quaUliYlmprovtlmllftt, and
<br />~oor6"lI.on. -\
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<br />Theprol8l:tdlvertsapproxlmat<llfio.ooo
<br />acr.fee~ al1nually (rom the Colotad IUvex
<br />htladwatu to Ihtl Big 'IbompsGD River, SollUl
<br />I?Ja.ttetttbut.e.ry, furd1attlbution. Tb.lIN Ihoarn
<br />CoI01'lldo Wllter CoDBervanc.y Oistrlct n.por-
<br />t\Qne f.hq we.t4l: tI:l mot<l_lhen UlO dI.tclma 4nd 60
<br />r<laervol1'lleEIIVm,:U1_eproj<lCtlllllll9. Alsoll
<br />cOlrunllnltl811 .-..::e!ve water IllrVlcB. A lwme1
<br />ulldlrthQ Contlnllntel Divide Ie the~l.na
<br />complex of dams, reaervolre, powQr .md pump-
<br />lngple.ttu,ee.Jl8leandtv.l\L\e1e, '
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<br />ConstruCt1on took place between 193' and
<br />t9119,lnltia.lpoworgener/ltl.onoccurrtldbl,l943
<br />audl.b:ettratlebaalnwaterde1Jverlesw8I:efnada
<br />In 1947. Wo.tlIrandpOwatraven111l8w1l1~a,y
<br />tha $162 mlUlon Invntmellt to the Fe~are.1
<br />T:re8SUJY,
<br />
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<br />AWA B. ADAMS lUNNEl
<br />ThO Alva B. Adams Tunnel Ie 9.75 feet In
<br />diameter and ha.aa cap"cll;y of 550 cl1b!cfeel;
<br />peraee<md, 'Ih<lCoIlC:r<lt<l-llil<ldtunn<llp\<lrcee
<br />lh<l Rocky M(lUntsIrirl a dietanc<l of 13.1 m1les,
<br />Cr09S!ng th<l Contlllantal Divide 3800 f<l<lt; b<l-
<br />n<lath t:h<l wr{sce. Tho tunnel wat! constrUcted
<br />alltlr<lly fromthlltwooods,andth<lm.(I<ltlugw8S
<br />eompl<ltelyaccurat<l a~thecanl:erllne. Af.l9-}{V
<br />tre.nsmlssl<mlln<llnanllrog<lngas-Dlledplpe
<br />suependedfrom tharoolollhe twm<llcODIle(cB
<br />ell8t and weet llIope power facllitl...,.
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<br />WESTERN SLOPE COllECTION SYSTEM ;
<br />The Weat<lI'n Slope eonectlon Sy.tem. t.rl(ps
<br />~~:IIlRl~~,h~,o~=~~:d ~~
<br />porte It to Ul<l ALVA B. ADAMS TUNNEL tor
<br />dlverslonundllrth<lContlllGntalDlvlde. '
<br />The prlnelpe.1 etorag<l t<lll.tur<l Is LAI(E
<br />GRANaY lonned by Granby Dam, llOTl8l:lUc&Od.
<br />'acron!he Colorado JUvu ne8l' GrllIlby. W1i-
<br />~e~ekb/ =:;w ~8"'~pkCAC;;AfY~
<br />PUMPING PLANT which 1UtB t:h<l wator 116
<br />feet to 110w by gravU:y to Ls.k<l GrAAby, 1
<br />GRAND\' PUMPING PLANT lifts the wa.
<br />ter 126 f8<lt from Lo.k<l Granby to GRANBY
<br />PUMP CANAL, whlch transport<! it 1.6 mlle.
<br />to Shadow Mountaln Le.ko. SHADOW Moulf-
<br />TAIN DAM, belo\9 Ule co.nlluenc<l of lbe Collf-
<br />rado River and Orand Lak<l Outlet, form,
<br />SHADOW MOUNTAIN LAKE. It connects wll{1
<br />Gr/lnd Lak<l to mek<l a elngl<l bocIy of wa~
<br />-throughwhlch dlve:rslone flow by gravltytotb~
<br />AlvaB.Ad8Jl18'l\lJlD<li. 1
<br />
<br />WES-URN S~OPE REPlACEMENT
<br />To aesur<l trrlgatlon end power g<ltlere.Uon'
<br />\lnder prior rights on the Colorado Rlver and;
<br />to ln8ure water tor future ~paIl810n, GREEN!
<br />MOUNTAIN RES~VOIR was constructed 0'"
<br />the-Blue River. H<lre, aprlng l"\InolJle etored
<br />and later ralelUled to meet I:ho requirementllofi
<br />the Colorado River, thus allowing dlversloll ofl
<br />lnOr<l water by th<lproJllCtthrough(lUttheyear.i
<br />GREEN MOUNTAIN POWERPLANT pl'OduOOB ~
<br />powerr<lvonuea to e8Bl8tlnrllpa.ymentofproJ_:
<br />ectC<),'ju..
<br />ln1gatlon systanls on the Colorado River,
<br />above the Blue RlyetoonflUlll1Cll, w<ltslmproved J
<br />to enable contlnued\le<lofll](\stlngr!ahte. R.....;
<br />lell8a88.1'<l m.e-d<lfrom Lah Granby tomlllntaln .;
<br />the Colore-do River as IIl1veflehb1gs~ll1J1.-'
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<br />EAST SLOpe poweR SYSHM- LOWER
<br />Watllt !rom. LAAe Est<ls is e<>nveyed viII
<br />OLYMPUS SlmON and TUNNEL and POLE
<br />HILL TUNNEL and CANAL, th<ln dropped 815
<br />r<let through a penstock to POLl!: HILL POWER-
<br />PLANT. It Is the1l routed thfol1gb RATTLE-
<br />SNAKE TUNNEL, PINEWOOD LAKE, and
<br />.BALD MOUNTAIN PRESSURE TUNNEL, and
<br />dropped 10115 feet IhrllI1gh two penstocks to
<br />FLATIRON POWERPLANT. -11Ile poweq>>ant
<br />(lle~hllrges Into FLATIRON RESERVOIR
<br />which regulau.a the wsterfor re1eMe to the
<br />Foot.bUlsStorage 8JldDlstrlbutlonSyll:em. The
<br />Bfterbll,Y storage lnFlatlr<m R8.II<lrVolr "ndthe
<br />forebay stor88e In F1newoodLak<l enable Mat-
<br />Iron Pow<lrplllnt to meet dally power l(lad
<br />varlatlona.
<br />
<br />lAND WITH WAfER
<br />lnigabl<leollsat<lUlOd/lratel,ydeep,v8-1'y
<br />from Ught to heavy t/l1Cture wlthflne sandy loam
<br />pr6d,mllne.tln.g, 1he foW" to ilv<l months' grow_
<br />lug ,eaeon varies according to th<laltltnd<l
<br />(3500-5400 fset e1evatlon). Annual preClpl/.a-
<br />tlOll varles from 8 t:020lnchea wIth anomtw
<br />of about 13 inche8. PrInclpalctops8.l:elugar
<br />beeu.. corn, (Ilfalfa,barl<lY(fe<1danclmaltlng),
<br />b<l8ll8,po\:!ltossandveg<ltabl<l8.Llv:aatockand
<br />poultryarafo.ttenedwlthlrrlgatedfeadeBl1d
<br />sug8.1'beatbYf'rodl1~ts.
<br />
<br />
<br />'lhepl'Ojeetpowartrsnsmlselonsystemcoll-
<br />slats of 663 mIlea of 115- and 69-KVlIrt.es, 24
<br />milasot6,9-to24.9-KVliI>eaand37substatlQDs
<br />with two moblla substa~on8 for emarge.nclea.
<br />There a:re intett(>Im.(:C\1ona wIlli nu.,lor pu'oll.c
<br />and prlvde_systeml lu tbeproJeotueaat
<br />Swllng, Greel<ly, Summlt, Beaver Creek _and
<br />Erie. ProJeoet power facUltles are operat<ld by
<br />theBurealloffu.clfUllatioD.
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<br />eAST SLOP!; POWER SYSTEM_UppeR
<br />From the East Portal of Adams Tunnel th<l
<br />watet I. conveyed \1a AS~EN CREE!{ SIMON
<br />Md RAMS HORN TUNNEL, then dropped 2011
<br />feet througb a peustock to MARYS LAKE
<br />l'OWERPLANT. - MARYS LAKE at the foot of
<br />tb<l powarplant provides an 8fterbay for the
<br />powerp18l1t e.ndaforebayftomwblchthewal:er
<br />goes Ihrougb PROSPECT MOUNTAIN PRES>
<br />SURE CONDUIT and TUNNEL and drops 482
<br />feet to ESTES POWERPLANT.
<br />LAKE FSTES, below E8tes PowerpJant. 1&
<br />f<lrmed by O.lympus Dam CODStruCt<1d 1lC1'081 the
<br />Big TholllPSo,ll River. The aftetbay etorag.>ln
<br />Lake'ElItee o.nd the forcbaystoragelnMaxys
<br />Leke 8llabletl the Estes Powcrplant to meet
<br />dall,yvarllltlnDllinthepowerload.
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<br />FOOlllllLS STORAGE- DISTRI8UTION SYSTEM
<br />Sol1thward _th.. FLATIRON REVERSIBLE
<br />PUMP and MOTOR llits water from Flatiron
<br />Res<ll"VoIr amaxllnum of 297 f<letand dellv<1.l"e
<br />It through CARTER LAKE PRESSURE CON-
<br />DUIT and TUNNll:L to CARTER LAKE. When
<br />the flow 10 reverl6d. tbeunltacteasa turbine.
<br />gel"JeratorendprodllCesele<:trlcen<lrgy.
<br />'I'M ST. \/RAIN SUPPLY CANAL delivers
<br />water from Carte:r Leke to the Llttle 'lhom.pson
<br />River, 8t. Vraln Creek, and BOULDER CREEK
<br />SUPPLY CANAL. Th<l latter delivers water
<br />to-Boulder Cr<lek and to Boulder Reservolr,
<br />owned by the Conservancy Dletrlct and the
<br />City ofBouldel. !h<lSOUTHPLATTESUFPLY
<br />CANAL, d1v<lrtlng from Bould<1.l" Creek, d<lilvere
<br />proJe<:t water to the South Platte River.
<br />Northward the CHARLES HANSEN FEED-
<br />ER CANAL transports watel from. FLATIRON
<br />RESERVOIR to the Big Thompson River atld
<br />to - HORSETOOTII RESERVOIR.- The cllnal
<br />erossss the Big Thompson River In" 8lpllon,
<br />Bbovethe river andhlghwe.y. Wawrfromth<l
<br />Illg'lholl1pBOn RlVel CIUl be dJv<lrtedlntothe
<br />cane.1 via TUNNEL tW. 1, HORSETOOTH
<br />SUPPLY CONDUIT.
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<br />HISTORY
<br />lrrlgatlon In th<l_pfoj<lCte.ree.wlUIJitttd
<br />veloped abllut 1860 along' the stream botto
<br />lands. In 1870 the Union ColoD,Y, apODSor
<br />by Horac<l Gl'eel<l)', COll8tructed. (ill:cllljll frotn
<br />the Cach<lla Poudt<l IUv81 to bench landelll
<br />the vlcbllty of Gr<leley. 'lbe ColoD,Y lrtIgai:(ld
<br />:;~~U~~d,~~~e:~;:ti:~~':
<br />8-11d :Big ThompsQn RlV8l1J, llIld 51:. Vtaln and
<br />BoulderCreeka.
<br />By 1900. e.lmos~ all the trrlgat&d &fila had
<br />been dEIVeloped and direct stt<lam flow over-
<br />approprtatcd. An.&"8.ofresel'Volrconstrnctlon
<br />followed to atore sprjngfloods fur 111lDUl1.et use.
<br />By 1910 most oft1te swb1.hle reaarvoil' lites
<br />W<lro deVllloped. ResidentB tilen pursued an
<br />1689 dream of tapping the beadwaters of the
<br />Colorado River for use Qn tb<l ElUIterl"J 6loP<l
<br />of_thll,Contlne.ntelDivl!le,
<br />In 1935, $150,000 ofPWAflllld.ewereallot-
<br />told to the Bureau of Raclamatlon to conduct
<br />IIIrveys and to report on th<lfeaslbWty ofsuch
<br />a dlversron. 'The Northern Colorado Wal:er Con-
<br />soll'Y8rlc.yDlsbictwlUlOf!l'anlz<1dln1987tooon.
<br />tract fur tb<l uee of tb<l Pfoject W8-t<lr and. to
<br />repaylrrJgatlllll C08te to the Federal Treosu<y.
<br />PwjectconstructlO1.1. began In 1938atOxeen
<br />Mountain Dam. Although woik WIl8 greatly CW"-
<br />tailed durlllg World WarU,ivnterwasfirst
<br />de1lveredl:hrOllgb theAdarnsTunn<ll.tolh<lBlg
<br />'nIompSOllRlVm:ln 194'1, wllh major de1lvtrles
<br />In 1953. Electric energy wa.e l1ret lJ8lIerated
<br />In May 1943 at Green Mountain Powerpl_altt.
<br />
<br />
<br />ORJl:IlN~OUNTAlNVAllI\NllR83!11Vl)m
<br />
<br />Theop<ltati<:>n alld malntenanceofsllwater
<br />C<)nveyancefaeUltltlsb<lJ'oudCart.erl.ihand
<br />HOl'$etooth ReserVoir were trSllllferr<ld to th<l
<br />NorIh<lmColoradoWatllrCoDII<lrVl1.I1cyDlatrlct
<br />101957. _ .
<br />More than 100 IndIvfdua.lfse.turee, e.xcIUd-'-
<br />log t.ransmlamonllnes, are sce.ttered OV81: an
<br />area of 150 mUes eaet-W<lSt and 65 mI1811 1lOrl:h-
<br />eoutJl.
<br />All 8-llUlQrlzsd featur<l8 ottlleprojectw8\"e
<br />compl<ltedby 1959.
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<br />Ptoject water d<lilv<lllea andBlg11l0m.psoJl
<br />Rlv<lrwater to be I'eturned to l.b<l river, arll
<br />dropped through a chut<lfrom-lh<l Feeder Canal
<br />abeadofthe81phon crosa1ngotps.ssodthrough
<br />the BIG TfIOMPSON POWERPLAN'I' to con-
<br />v<lrttheheadavello.bletoelectrlcenlll'jY,
<br />HORSETOOTH RESERVOIR Iii W<lst of
<br />For~ Collins between two hogback rld$ea,-wlth
<br />HORSETOOTH DAM clO$lng the gap lit one
<br />and, SOLDIER, DIXON, and SPRING CAN.
<br />YON DAMS close the remalolng gaps.
<br />All cutlet at Soldler Can,yon Dam eupplles
<br />water to Coloo:ado State Univef81ty and to the
<br />DIXON FEEDER CANAL ror the IrrJgated
<br />at<la cut off from Its water supply by the rea-
<br />~"".
<br />Theprlnclpel outl<ltlrom.lfuraeto<lthReser-
<br />vob ls througb fJorutootb Dam lntothe
<br />CHARLES HANSEN CANAL. 'lh!8 clilIlel de'
<br />IIver~watertoach\\tedl8~glotothe
<br />Cachela Poudre Rlver and to a sJphon c:r08elng'
<br />therlvertoeupp!yth<lPoudreVal1q alldRes.
<br />ervolr Compaoy-Cana.l. Aturnoute\lppJleS~<l
<br />Gr<leJey munlclpe.1 water works. Water II
<br />dcllver~d to the river to replace by exchange
<br />that dlverted UPSU<l1lm th<l NORTll POUDRE
<br />SUPPLY CANAL, whlchdellvers It to Ule Nctth
<br />PoudreDltch.
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