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~'--. '.~~_-: ~:,:~::: ." ... - ~. I Ut ~ -14- quantity for the 1925 to 1937 period, the total winter water which could have been stored since the last spill would have been 179,500 acre-feet. Assuming that the direct flow diversion during the period December to February, inclusive, has little benefit, the shortages since 1930 would have been reduced by the 179,500 acre-feet. The nominal shortages in the earlier years could have been entirely eliminated by storing water otherwise diverted in December, January and Ferruary for use during the irrigation season. By comparing the benefits that would aCcrue to Fort Lyon canal and the benefits that would accrue to the other canals under the above assumed opera- tion, it may be noted that the shortages of the Fort Lyon canal would not be relieved in the same degree as the ahortages of the other canals. Another study was made to determine whether it would be practicable to distribute more equitably the benefit of the Caddoa reservoir throughout the area in Colorado subject to benefit by its operation. The most feasible means for doing this appears to be the transfer of some of tha early direct flow water used below Caddoa reservoir to the Fort Lyon canal, the water available under such early decrees to be used by that canal during those periods when sufficient water is available in Caddo a reservoir to replace the water now diverted under the early decrees to lands below the reservoir. It was found ,that the transfer of about 60 cubic teet per second of early water to the Fort Lyon would bring all the canals subject to benefit by the operation of Caddoa reservoir to a fairly equal basis. If this were done, the mean annual benefit to the F~rt Lyon's system from the operation of the Caddoa reservoir between the period 1914 to 1936 would be increased by about 8,000 acre-feet, with a corresponding decrease in the benefit to the canals below Caddoa.