WSP07579

• File Number: 8220.106
• Description: Animas-La Plata
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 5/1/1985
• Author: BOR
• Title: Animas-La Plata Project
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Project Overview

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flows diverted by SOUTHERN UTE DIVERSION DAM AND CANAL, would be
located offstream on the Colorado-New Mexico State line east of
the La Plata River and would store water for the Southern Ute
Indian Tribe for resource development and for New Mexico
irrigators. Water for New Mexico irrigators would be released
through SOUTHERN UTE DAM to the NEW MEXICO IRRIGATION CANAL.

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Water for Colorado

The 1980 census found Durango's population to be about 11,400
people, an increase of about 1,100 people in the last 10 years.
In the future, per capita water consumption will drop a small
amount because of the installing of water meters, but total water
demand will continue to rise because of an increasing
population. Beginning in 1980, the capabilities of the city's
existing water system were exceeded during the summer months,
when demand is highest. The projected water supply deficit would
be 10 percent of total demand in the year 2000 and 17 percent of
total demand in 2020. Shortages during peak summer demand would
be up to 42 percent of peak demand in the year 2000 and up to 55
percent in 2020.

The Durango City Council unanimously approved a letter
to participate in the project by contracting from the
Plata Water Conservancy District for 2 500 acre-feet
annually.

of intent
Animas-La
of water

The project would provide 2,000 acre-feet of municipal and
industrial water annually to the South Durango Water District and
2,000 acre feet to the La Plata area rural users. The Animas-La
Plata Water Conservancy District would receive an additional
2,700 acre feet of water for municipal and industrial purposes.
Each year, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe would receive 26,500
acre-feet of industrial water and the Ute Mountain Ute Indian
Tribe 6,000 acre-feet of industrial water, to develop resources
on their reservations.

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Irrigable land in Colorado on Red Mesa along the La Plata River
and on the Dry Side west of the river would receive project water
each year to ensure a full crop yield. An average annual water
supply of 72,900 acre-feet would be provided to 31,500 acres of
full service and 14,000 acres of supplemental service non-Indian
land; 3,400 acre-feet of water to irrigate 1,800 acres of full
service land belonging to the Southern Ute Tribe; and 26,800
acre-feet of water to irrigate 11,600 acres belonging to the Ute
Mountain Ute Indian Tribe.

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Water for New Mexico

The project will supply municipal and industrial water on a firm
or guaranteed basis to meet the projected requirements for
Farmington, Bloomfield, Aztec, and Shiprock and their surrounding