WSP07377

• File Number: 8143.600.10.B
• Description: John Martin Reservoir - Operation Studies
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 11/26/1975
• Author: J. Robert Owen
• Title: Water Yield of Muddy Creek Basin
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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-0---- __ ____ The area was visited by A. L. Martinez and the author in
. October 1975. Channel measurements were made on Luning Arroyo,
~ Van Bremer Arroyo, Rule Creek, Caddoa Creek, and Muddy Creek. Curves
of channel characteristics against average annual runoff were
constructed.

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Results and analysis

Average annual runoff from Muddy Creek at Setchfield
Reservoir, estimated from the relationship of runoff versus drainage
area, is 1,100 acre-feet (figure 2). Runoff estimated from channel
geometry techniques is 770 acre-feet (figure 3).

Water storage in Setchfield Reservoir was monitored by
the Colorado Division of Water Resources from 1958 through 1964.
Runoff during this period averaged 559 acre-feet, including three
years of no runoff. This estimate is conservative because readings
of reservoir contents were made less than once a month during the
irrigation season and no allowance was made for evaporation and
seepage losses from the reservoir.

Runoff from Rule Creek (figure 2) is lower per unit of
drainage area than the other three gaged basins: however, the water-
shed area of Rule Creek is over twice as great as any of the other
basins. This indicates that channel losses may be great in this
basin.

The significance of possible channel losses on Rule Creek
was also apparent when the channel geometry measurements were made.
Through most of the lower reach of Rule Creek, a considerable amount
of sediment has been deposited in the channel. A series of small
dams caused by the sediment created many pools, and during many of
the smaller runoff events water is temporarily stored in the pools
and is lost to the channel by percolation into the alluvium.
Channel geometry measurements were not made on Rule Creek because
a suitable site was not found.

The drainage-area relationship (figure 2) indicates that
annual runoff from Muddy Creek should be greater than the runoff
from either Luning Arroyo or Caddoa Creek. The channel geometry
technique, however, indicates that runoff from Muddy Creek is less
than the runoff from Luning Arroyo or Caddoa Creek (figure 3). This
was confirmed by the observation that the Muddy Creek channel was
not as incised as the other channels, and most reaches of the Muddy
Cr,eek_channe1_were_ covered_ wi th_grass ,_while_ the_beds__of_the_ other
channels were scoured and had no vegetation in them. Therefore,
we relied more heavily on the channel geometry method.

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