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<br />,. <br /> <br />.. <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />.. <br /> <br />MONTHLY Pl/OGRlllSS REPORl! <br />SA..'i LUIS VALLEY PROJECT, COLORA.DO <br />BEGION V <br /> <br />1ttECEliVI~ <br /> <br />t\F7. ~" <br /> <br />Mon th of Ma~ch 1949 <br /> <br />COlGi(AJO './A jj':~ <br />_~!:"." .....~,,, ..,......1 <br />~t:.iI"\.~:;oVJ...' ~~~ <br /> <br />The San Luis Valley Project was authorized under Section 9 of the <br />Reclamation Act of 1939. The Finding of !easibility "'as approved by the <br />Secretary of the Interior on April 10, 1940, and transmitted to the <br />Congress on the same date. On June IS, 1940, the Congress first appro- <br />priated funds "for further investigations, erploratory and prepBratory <br />~ork, and commencement of construction .........." (Act of June lS, 1940 <br />Ch. 395. 54 Stat. 406.) , <br /> <br />I. Closed Basin Di vi sion (Investigations andSurveys SO% Complete) <br /> <br />i. !r..'le cOmmenCEl'illent of construction of the Closed Basin Drain is <br />contingent on (a) conclusive finding of justification therefor on the <br />basis of cost and the quantity and quali ty of water to be secured, and <br />(0) making of adequate arrangements for maintenance of the drain (Act of <br />June IS, 1940, Ch. 395, 54 Stat. 406.). <br /> <br />ii. The contemplated works wouJ.d consist of an open drain some 43 <br />miles in length extending from Saguache Creek to the Rio Grallcle, the main <br />purpose of the drain being to augment the now of theRia Grande by means <br />of drainage return from the Closed Basin, and hence permit an eq,uaJ. amount <br />of Rio Grande water to be used in the San Luis Va.lley. Consideration is <br />now being given to the possibility of providing a pump lift near the <br />divide between the "sum;p" and the Rio Grande in order that a better loca- <br />tion might be obtained for the lower portion of the drain. <br /> <br />J.J.J.. Beginning about 1915, various indi vid:uals and agencies have <br />endeavored to determine the feasibility of such a drain. All such studies <br />have been inconclusive a!ld at \qide variance. During October 1945, rep- <br />resentatives of the Bureau of Reclamation, the Geological Survey, and the <br />Colorado. Water Conservation Board met to evolve a cooperative program of <br />investigations to prove or disprove the feasibility of a drain. The pro- <br />gram of investigations thus evolved and the cOllllllitments of the ve.rious <br />participating agencies for carrying out the proGram "lere outlined in a <br />joint memorandum dated October 10, 1945. <br /> <br />iv. The U. S. Geological Survey has taken over the monthly reading <br />of the water elevations at approximately 175 separate locations in the <br />i1sumpll and the area to the west on a reimbursable basis. <br /> <br />v. Investigations ~ere continued on the relocation of the lower <br />portion of the drain. <br /> <br />(-~,,:_) <br />..., .,. _... J....... <br />