WSP06830

• File Number: 8141
• Description: Fryingpan-Arkansas Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 3/7/1960
• Author: Acting Sec of Interi
• Title: A Report and Findings on Ruedi Dam and Reservoir Colo Pursuant to Federal Reclamation Laws
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

RUEDI DAM AND RESERVOIR, .COLO.

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propose-s the following tent.at.i ve a.llocation of costs ~lssignable to west.~
ern :;lope lI::ieS:
RE"imbursuble: Municipal nnd industrial wuter____________________ $3,300,700
Xonreimbursllble:
Flood control_ ______ _ __ _ __ ______ _ _ _ ____ _ _ ___ _ _ ____ _ _________
Fish and wiltllife_______________ _ _ _ ___ ____ __ ________________
Recrentioll__________________________________________________

117.500
1, j[)j,800
5[),OOO

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Total____________________________________________________ 1.930.300

Operation of Ruedi Reservoir, together with facilities for forecast-
ing snowmelt runot:l', (:lln atl'ol'd virtually complete <.:ontrol of snow-
melt floods in the Frying-pan Ri\rer wat.ershed. Annual flood control
benefits, based upon datii supplied by the Corps of Engineers, would
be nbout $11,500.
Although the reach of Fryingpan Ri\-er which would be inundated
by t.he reservoir now supports an impol't.ult. trout fishery, the net effect
of project operation will he b~Hetieial t.o fish_ The stabilized releases
from the dam will improve fish habitat downstream, and the reservoir
will provide greater oslling opport.unit.ies tIlan the reach of the luttural
stream involved. The Fish and 'Vildlife Sen-ice estimates an anlluul
project benefit, of *172,000 due to enhancement of the fishery.
Considerable u~e will be made of Ruedi Reser\'oir for recreation
purposes. Provision of minimllm basic recreational fncilities and of
facilities to protect the he:llth and ~afety of the visiting public has
been estimated by The Nationnl Park Service at about $55,000. This
specific cost has beell allocated to reCl'eat iOIl. Opport.unitie.s will exist
for further development of the reereat.ion potential of Ruedi Reser-
voir under the administration of the Forest. Sen"ice. The annllal
reCl'eat,ion benefits have beeu est,imated at $80,000 by the N atioual Park
Sen-ice.
The active capn~ity of RlIedi Reser\.'oir, in excess of the Fryingpan-
.Arkansas project replucelllent requirements if operated jointly for
flood control and conservat.ioll purposes, could supply 70,000 aCl'e-
feet of usable water ill fi eritical year slIch IlS 1D:34. Thp.l'e are poten-
t.ialitip.s. for future use of sl1ch conservation capacity for ilTigation~
but it. is expected that the de\'elopment nne! growth of the oil shale
industry will create a prior market for this water. The value of
.Ruedi Reservoir water for municipal and indust.rial use was based
upon the cost of the cheapest alternative single-pnrpose project and
resulted in ,wnual equivalent. cost.s of $415,000 and $:323,000 on 50-
and lOO-year perious of analysis, respectively_
Consicte.ring only the portion of the <.:ost. of Ruedi Dam and Res-
el'\'oir assignable to western slope- regulatory storage, .since t.he portion
assignable to the Fryingpan-Ark:1I1suS projeet has been found finlln.
eia lIy feas. Ie and economil'ally jm:titiefl in the Hna lyses of t.hat project,
ratios of, 1.1al beneHt.s to l.lllllllllleosts for that part of the de\-elop.
ment are c '\ted thus:
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a'n~s'

100.YE'3r
analysis

$1;78,500_______ 1-586,500.
$:!lJ8,OOO_______ $164,30U.
3.26101._ 3.57 to I.

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