Laserfiche WebLink
<br />MAY 1982 <br /> <br />Municipal and domestic water for the city of Cortez and other users is <br /> <br />delivered through the existing Dolores Tunnel under a contract with <br /> <br />Montezuma Valley Irrigation Company. <br /> <br />The San Juan River originates in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, <br /> <br />approximately 100 miles east of Cortez. Flowing in a westerly direction <br /> <br />through northern New Mexico and the southwestern tip of Colorado the San <br /> <br />Juan joins the Colorado River in southern Utah about 100 miles west of <br /> <br />Cortez. The study area is drained by San Juan's tributaries, most of which <br /> <br />flow only intermittently from spring snowmelt and summer storms. Constant <br /> <br />flows are found only in Yellow Jacket Creek and its tributary Dawson Draw, <br /> <br />in Navajo Wash, and in McElmo Creek; all heavily dependent upon irrigation <br /> <br />return flows. Dawson Draw, originating to the north of Narraguinnep <br /> <br />Reservoir, drains the northern tip of irrigated land in Montezuma Valley. <br /> <br />The Mancos River originates in the La Plata Mountains to the east and <br /> <br />flows to the southwest, joining the San Juan River near the southwestern <br /> <br />corner of Colorado. Although the upper portion of the Mancos River has <br /> <br />permanent flows, irrigation diversions frequently deplete the lower portion, <br /> <br />which flows only during runoff froD melting snow or summer thunderstorms or <br /> <br />from Navajo Wash. <br /> <br />Navajo Wash originates to the northeast of Towaoc and flows south for <br /> <br />about 15 miles to its confluence with the Mancos. Return flows and canal <br /> <br />spills from irrigation in Montezuma Valley provide flows during the summer <br /> <br />and fall. The flows are highly variable, often exhibiting large <br /> <br />fluctuations during a single day. <br /> <br />1II-9 <br /> <br />001845 <br />