WSP06903

• File Number: 8549.600
• Description: Wagon Wheel Gap Reservoir
• State: CO
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Water Division: 3
• Date: 12/1/1941
• Title: Rio Grande Water Conservancy District and Wagon Wheel Gap Reservoir
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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The Contract
With the United States

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Since the authorization of the construc-
tion of the pl'oject, the Board of Governors
of The Rio Grande Water Users' Associa-
tion, have discussed to SOlUe extent, terms
of such a contract with representatives of
the Reclamation Service. However, nothing
definite can be done in this regard until The
Rio Grande Water Conservane.y District is
organized and a bORI'd of directors appoint-
ed. The wOl'ldng out of a contract with the
Govcl'nment for submission to an election of
property owners, no doubt will be the first
order of business for the board.

This project for supplying supplemental
water to many water users in a well dev'ill-
oped irrigation territory, whose require-
ments will vary so widely on account of uni-
versal differences in the effectiveness of
their present rights, will present problems
most novel and complicated, quite different
from the usual Reclamation project.
No doubt the board selected will find that
ll1n.ny confel'~nces will be necessary, and
perhaps anum bel' of drafts of the proposed
agrecJnent will be made as new ideas emerge
from the discussions.
It will be possible to definitely detcI'-
mine the cost of the project and a definite
maximunl that may be charged to irrigation
uscs will be fixed in the contract, as it was
done in the contract on the Big Thompson
Project.
Each different feature of the project must
be covered, and a definite price for water
agl't~ed upon, and rights of way provided for.
A repayment program must be set up to
!"neet all obligations promptly and provide
1'01' propel' distribution according to benefits
1'01' irrigation, flood control, recreation and
possibly power.

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No doubt the board and the Government
will wish to submit tentative agreements to
expert legal counsel and engineers.
All these things and many more must be
taken care of before the Contract can be
submitted to an election of property owners.
All features will be so widely discussed
and considered by the people of the district
generally that the approval by the property
owners will be pretty well assured before the
Contract is voted upon. But if for any reason
it should fail of approval at such an elec-
tion, it will be necessary for the board to
atteJnpt to negotiate another form of con-
tract until one can be drafted that will be
approved by the electors as well as the Gov-
ernment.
After a contract has been approved, the
board will be in a position to take applica-
tions for water and make allotment of the
water to be produced by the project.

Cost and Plan of Operation
of Project

The cost of the project will be determined
in the Contract with the Government, and
nitely determined at that time. This fea-
ture must be definitely determined before
the maximum cost to the water users defi-
any applications for water are taken, as the
Act provides that the application shall in-
clude the maximum price to be paid by the
applicant as a limitation to his liability.
The Rio Grande Water Users' Association
Board have been assured that the price will
not exceed $1.50 per acre foot.
Fifty thousand acre feet in the bottom of
the reservoir will be set aside for recreation
and will incidentally furnish a permanent
power head at the danl of about 110 feet
and sixty thousand acre feet at the top of
the reservoir will be kept empty for flood
control.

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There Is No Shartage of Feed When Irrigation Water is Available When Needed