Review of Montezuma County Irrigation Co. & Dolores Soil Conservation District's Application

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M*14' r I _ II l January 25, 1961 SUBJECT: Review of Montezuma Valley Irrigation Co. & Dolores Soil Conservation Districtts application for a P. L. 566 Pro - ject, 1, The Montezuma Valley Irrigation Co and Dolores Soil Conservation District applied on December 28, 1960 for Federal assistance under P. L. 566 for construction of a reservoir on Beaver Creek in Dolores County. The water would be diverted into Cottonwood Creek, thence into the Dolores River for diversion to ex- isting irrigated lands of the Montezuma Valley Irrigation Co. The reservoir would have a capacity of about 8, 000 ac, ft. It was also requested that a similar sized reservoir be built in 3 -5 years on Bear Creek with the dam being located in Section 32 R 11 W T 38 N. The application states that there is appr oximately 35,000 acres under irrigation in Montezuma County. The application also included a request for land treatment meas- ures along with the water management features above. 2. The Dolores Project planned by the Bureau of Reclamation as a part ticipating project of the Upper Colorado River would provide supplemental water to the Montezuma Valley Irrigation Co. for lands now being irrigated (the same land that would receive water from the proposed P. L. 566 Project) and provide water for 9,000 acres of new lands under the 1 Valley Irrigation Canal. Included in the Dolores Project is the irrigation of 26,000 acres of new lands in the Dove Creek area. The proposed McPhee Reservoir on the Dolores River would have a total capa- city, of 328,000 acre feet of which 153,000 acre feet would be active. The McPhee Reservoir would furnish annually 45,950 acre feet to the Dove Creek area. 3. Water ruts The Montezuma Valley Irrigation Co. has absolute di- rect diversion rights from the Dolores River for 538.5 cfs (Priority of Nov. 25, 1885) for irrigation of 35,000 acres and a conditional decree for 761.5 cfs to irri- gate 49,479 acres..