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OG3322 . CHAPTER III POTENTIAL IRRIGATION DEVELOPMENT The O'Neal Park project irrigation plan appraised in this report has evolved from studies of a series of alternative develoIJllent plans and of the relationships between the available land and water resources and physical and economic factors related to their development. A general flaw-line description of the project plan is given below. The general locations of project features are shown on the frontispiece map. Possible alternatives to the plan and comparative econcmiic data are summarized in the latter part of this chapter. . PhYsical Plan The O'Neal Park project would direct and regulate the fluctuating flows of the upper reaches of Piedra River and certain tributary streams for irrigation of arable dry lands in O'Neal Park and adjacent areas. The project would provide an average water supply within ideal irrigation diversion requi~ements of about 8,860 acre-feet annually for the full season irrigation of approximately 3,600 acres of arable dry lands now used priJDarily for grazing. Except for occasional shortages, it would assure adequate irrigation water when needed, thus increasing the cropped acreage, making possible maximum yields in normal years, and preventing serious crop failures in drought years. The new irrigation would sub- stantially increase prOduction of forage and grain crops as a supplement to range feed in support of the local livestock industry. The project would not affect navigation and industrial and munic- ipal water supplies. It would have only nominal effects on flood and silt control and pollution abatement. Recreational and fish and wild- life values would probably be only slightly affected. There is no opportunity for hydroelectric power development as an integral part of the irrigation plan. . Project water would be diverted from Piedra River by a low diver- sion structure located approximately 6.5 miles upstream from the Bridge Ranger Station. The water would be conveyed southwest 11 miles by the potential Perry Draw Inlet Canal and then stored in the potential Perry Draw Reservoir. The canal would also intercept and divert flows of Big and Little Pagosa Creeks and other minor tributary streams. Perry Draw Reservoir would be created on Perry Draw by an earthfill dam. The res- ervoir would have an active storage capacity of 5,300 acre-feet. Water would be released from the reservoir into two main outlet canals. The Ant Hill Canal would convey water to project lands north 18