WSP06952 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

L-- ......-1 C .1 other Plans of Water Development Considered A number of plans of Water development were investigated to determine if water could be provided project lands at less cost than the Rifle Gap Reservoir plan as discussed in this report. Several of the plans involved the importation of water from West and Main Elk Creeks located north and east of the project. The West Elk Creek watershed joins the East Rifle Creek watershed on the east and that of Main Elk Creek joins West Elk Creek. The upper watershed of both West Elk Creek and Main Elk Creek i8 a heavil1 timbered plateau sloping to the south in the same general direction as does the watershed of East Rifle Creek. Drainage streams traverse this plateau in graduall1 deepening channels to its edge where they decend in steep box canyons to levels well below project lands. The following sources of water supply have been investigated and were determined to be inferior to the Rifle Gap Reservoir plan: A- Timberline Canal to West Elk Creek Plan. Under this plan a canal would be required from a branch of Main Elk Creek, called Corral Creek, to the head of West Elk Creek in the plateau section; a reservoir on Clark Creek and a second canal from West Elk Creek to the Harvey Gap Reservoir. Water supply would be poor due to limited drainage area and the operation of the canal would be difficult due to its inaccessi- bility and high elevation. Cost of the development was found to be excessive in comparison with water benefits. B- Elk Falls Canal and Power Conduit Plan. A long conduit would be required for this plan of development. It would start at Elk Falls 'on Main Elk Creek above the mouth of Meadow Creek and for the first three miles would consist of a pipe line in Main Elk Canyon. This would