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<br />L; <br /> <br />,-I <br /> <br />CJ <br /> <br />INVESTIGATIONS <br /> <br />History <br /> <br /> <br />Irrigation investigation of the Silt Project area along with <br /> <br /> <br />similar studies in other sections ot Western Colorado was undertaken <br /> <br />as a Public Works Project (F.P.No.40) under an allotment of $150,000 <br /> <br />from an appropriation made available under the National Industrial <br /> <br />Recovery Act of June 16, 1933. The purpose of the Public Works Project <br /> <br />was stated to be, "a study of possible irrigation and power developments <br /> <br />in the State of Colorado particularly in that portion west of the <br /> <br />Continental Divide". Acting in cooperation with the state Planning <br /> <br />Commission the Bureau of Reclamation undertook investigation of the <br /> <br />existing irrigated areas where ~ acute need of supplemental water <br /> <br />existed. <br /> <br />Reports <br /> <br /> <br />Project Report No. 48. Project studies were initiated in the <br /> <br /> <br />summer of 1936 and in December 1940 a report was issued. The report <br /> <br />discusses two plallll of development either of which would provide a <br /> <br />much needed water supply for irrigable land of the project area. <br /> <br />Both plans provide for storing the winter now of Rifle Creek now <br /> <br /> <br />wasted to the Colorado- River. <br /> <br />Under one plan, designated in the report as the Harvey Gap <br /> <br />Reservoir plan, it was proposed to enlarge the Harvey Gap Reservoir <br />from its present capacity of 4,850 acre-feet to 8,000 acre-feet. This <br />,. .$- <br />plan would limit the development to the irrigation of only ~~l(jl'l acres <br /> <br />of land under the reservoir. <br /> <br />Under a second plan, called the Rifle Gap plan, a reservoir on <br /> <br />Rifle Creek with a capacity of 10,000 acre-feet would be provided to <br />