WSP06583

• File Number: 8276.450
• Description: McElmo Creek Unit - Colorado River Salinity Control Program
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 7/17/1989
• Title: McElmo Creek Hydrology
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

. Imported Water

Water is imported into the Montezuma valley by the
Montezuma Valley Irrigation Company (MVIC). The major water
rights for MVIC date back to November 25, l885 when
construction on this irrigation project first began. In fact,
the water right filings on record with the State Engineer for
this project are numbers I and 2. MVIC assumed operation of
the entire system in 1920 from its original developers and has
operated it ever since.

The system currently diverts an average of ll6,OOO
acre-feet annually into the project area from the Dolores River
through the Main Canal No. 1 and No.2. Main Canal No. 1
delivers through a tunnel into Hartman Draw and the Upper
McElmo Creek Area. Main Canal No.2 delivers water through the
Great Cut into Yellow Jacket Canyon and areas northwest of
there. Diversions to Canal No.2 average about 65,000
acre-feet annually while diversiomto Canal No. 1 are only
about 5l,OOO acre-feet annually. Also, the lateral systems off
of each canal are interconnected, thus, without more detailed
work the amount of water diverted into each of these two
distinct areas by each canal system is difficult to determine.

.

In theory, return flows from diversions through the Main
Canal No. 1 are measured under varying conditions at any gage
upstream of the stateline station. The return flows from
Yellow Jacket Canyon are the result of diversions through the
Main Canal NO.2 and are included in the McElmo Creek near
Bluff, Utah gage. Any return flows from irrigated areas off of
the Main Canal No.2 which are down ditch of Pleasant View go
ungaged.

Diversions

The water right tabulation compiled by the Colorado State
Engineers office lists 38 separate water right users on the
mainstem of McElmo Creek (Attachment l5). Further evaluation
shows that only 9 users are actually on the mainstem with the
remainder being on tributaries. Of the 38 rights, all but 2 of
these rights are located downstream of significant return flow
areas. Furthermore, all 9 mainstem rights are downstream of
Hartman Draw. This lends further credence to the importance of
return flows. These 9 water users will certainly be impacted
by the diminished return flows contemplated under the SCS
McElmo Creek On-Farm Program.

.

In addition, the diminished return flows could also impact
downstream water users on Hartman Draw, Crow Creek, Alkali
Canyon. Yellow Jacket Canyon. Mud Creek and Navajo Wash in a
similar manner. However, the impacts to these users are not
easily identified because many of these water users receive
MVIC project water directly in addition to stream diversions.

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