WSP06617

• File Number: 8200.750
• Description: San Juan River General
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 10/15/1956
• Author: BOR
• Title: O Neal Park Project - Colorado - Reconnaissance Report - October 1956
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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CHAPl'ER I

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

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Local Interest

Some of the local people have for many years pressed for an
investigation of the possibilities for irrigation development in the
O'Neal Park area.

Investigations and Reports

Previous Investigations

Water resource development possibilities of the San Juan Basin,
including the O'Neal Park area, have been the subject of intermittent
investigations since about 1906. Many of the early studies were made
by private engineering co1lqlanies and the State Engineer's Office.

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One of the first comprehensive investigations of the San Juan
Basin was made by H. F. Bahmeir of the Bureau of Reclamation and is
described in a report of May 1935, entitled Report ~ ~ Colorado
River ~ Investiga.tions, San Juan ~ Division. This investiga-
tion, largely of a reconnaissance nature, included vater supply studies,
reconnaissance classification of lands, and surveys of potential reser-
voir sites in the O'Neal Park area. A prelilll1nary plan of development
of the area, similar to alternative Plan B discussed in Chapter III, was
considered.

In 1946 and 1947 the Bureau of Reclamation studied the water
supply of the San Juan Basin, including the O'Neal Park area. Various
plans for serving the area were considered. Two plans of development,
somewhat similar to alternative Plans B and C discussed in Chapter III,
were formulated and analyzed. These and other investigations led to
the preparation of an inventory of irrigation development plans which
were reported in The Colorado River, a c01lqlrehensive report of the
Department of Interior on the COIOrado River Basin, sponsored and
coordinated by the Bureau of Reclamation and dated March 1946. The
O'Neal Park project described in that report would serve 5,820 acres
of new land and 1,780 acres of partially irrigated land. The plan
included a 32,OOO-acre-foot reservoir, with an active capacity of
13,600 acre-feet, at the O'Neal Park site and a distribution canal
system. The reservoir would be supplied by a canal from Piedra River.

Reports on previous investigations in the San Juan Basin and
O'Neal Park area are in the files of the Durango Development Office
of the Bureau of Reclamation. Applicable data from these reports
have been used fully in the present investigation.

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Present Investigations

The reconnaissance investigations lea.d1ng to this report were
undertaken in 1955 to evaluate the available water resour<:es and to

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