NEWS for WESTERN COLORADO
From CONGRESSMAN WAYNE ASPINALL
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-RELEASE DATE: IITL'Tlediz.te
WASHINGTON "'~·-- A $1,000.,000 rr:ouest for the Collbran irrigation project was included in the President!s budget message sent to Congress this week;
according to Congressman Hayne N. Aspinall of Colorado!s Fourth District. Also included in the budget request was an allotment of $3,000 for the Paonia Project. The money for the Paonia Project vdll provide for. technical
assistance and guidance to water users on water right and water exchange problems? The Collbran Project is an irrigation and power project designed to furnish a full water supply to 2,310 acres, and supplemental water for 18,340 acres of inadequately irrigated land located in Plateau valleyQ
The Project also includes facilities to provide a generating capacity of 131000 kilowatts of hydroelectric power->
$1~000.s,OOO allotment included in the budget. request would get the project underway by providing for preconstruction activit~es and award of construction contracts for the Vega Dam and Reservoir and the first section of the Southside Canal~
Included in the preconstruction activities would be the acquisition of rights-of-way and collection of detailed data.
A contract for relocation of a county road around the reservoir area will also be awarded at the same time that the contract for construction of Vega Dam is awarded.
All work on the proposed Collbran Project is scheduled for completion by June
31,
1961. Irrigation project facilities are to be completed by the spring of19
o.
Generating unit1:s of the Upper and Lower Molina power plants will be placed in service during June of 1961 to make 13,000 kilowatts available for integration to the existing transmission system at DeBequeoIn addition to irrigation and power benefits, completion of the project will benefit fish and wildlife resources and provide opportunities for
