Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, Colorado: letter from Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation to Secretary of the Interior transmitting report and letter requesting comments of the State of Colorado pursuant to section 1(c) of Flood Control Act of December

82D CONGRESS}

Zd Session SENATE {DOCUMENT _{No. 106}

FRYINGPAN-ARKANSAS PROJECT

COLORADO

LETTER

PIWM

COMMISSIONER OF THE BUREAU

OF RECLAMATION

TO

SECRETARY OF INTERIOR

TRANSMITTIKG

REPORT and LETTER

REQUESTING COMMENTS OF THE STATE OF COLORADO PURSUANT TO SECTION 1 (c) OF FLOOD CONTROL ACT

OF DECEMBER 22, 1944 (58 STAT. 887) AND

OFFICIAL COMMENTS OF THE ST ATE OF COLORADO ON REPORT MADE PURSUANT TO SECTION 1 (c) OF THE

ACT OF DECEMBER 17, 1944 (58 STAT. 887)

PRESENTED BY MR. MILLIKIN

MARCH 6 (legislative day, FEBRUARY 25), 1952.-Referred to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs and ordered to be

printed with an illustration

96229

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING Ol-'1''ICE

CONTENTS

J. Report of the Regional Director to the C'ommi~sioner of Recle.rne.tion,

dated July 5, 1950; revised February 23, 19!il ____ --- --- 3

General map.___ • ____ • • _____ •• ___ .facing 3 Transmitt.al and-authority --- --- ---- --- _ 3 Introduction _{Description of area __ • __ • __ ••} • ---_{_ •••• __ • _} ---_{•• __} ---_{• __ ••• __ •• __}---_{_ ••} - ₄ 3 Phyt1ical features ___________________ --- 4

Climate ... --- --- 5

Population. ----· --- --- _____ •• 5 Pre!<ent development --- 5,

Need for development ••.••••••.•• _ • __ • __ ••••• __ • _ .•••.• _ _ _ _ 6 Irrigation. _. . ___ .••• _ .. _ •••• __ . . • •. _ ...••• _ . _ .. _ •• _ _ 7 Power. _ --- --- __ ---

7

Munfripal water _ • • ---· --- 8 :Flood control __ --- --- --- 9 A:1sociated needs. _____ • _ •. ____ • _____ ••• ____ •••• _ _ _ _ 9 Plan of de,·eloprnent. _. ---·--- 10

West<"rn slop(' feature<. _ --- 11

Ee..,tern ~lope i<upply and power features._ •• ______ •• _. ____ • 11 ::\lunicipal water sy:<tem_ _ __ .• . • _______ ••• ___ •• 13 <'on!'truction schedule --- --- __ 14 \Vater "upply ________ --- --- __ 14 Finance" and project operation ____________ --- 16

Co:-t allocation .. --- • _ --- 17

Project OJ><'rntion anrl return on investment. ··--- 17

Hencfits... • ·---- __ --- 19

OP<"r&ting prinC'iples ••••• ---·-- . • --- 19

('ondusionH __ __ __ ______ __ __ _ 2.'J ltecomm<'ndations • _ • • _ ~ • 24 2. Letter from the f'ommi;:,ionc·r of R1•1·lamatio11 to the ~<·t·retar,· of the Interior, April IG, 19,'ll, rN•ommc1Jdi11g that the S<'C'l"<"tarY e.ppro,·e the report, o.nd adopt it

a

,,

Iii~ propO:<('d report, and authorize the Commi!'.~ioner lo tramm1it th<' r<•J><1rt, in behalf of the ~crt>tary, to thf' State of f'olorndo and othE'r>< iu lll'<'Ord&n!'e with the provi-<ious of l'<'<'tion I of the 1-'lood ('outrol Act of 19-14. Thi' report wa,,i thu!! approYcd by the Sc>rrf't!tr~· May 4, 19!11.. • _ 27 3. Letter from tlw ('ommi-;,foner of Bureau of 1lf'rlamo.tio11 reque:<ting comment~ from the Sto.tf' of ('olorado, May 8, 191\l _ --- 30

4. Official Comment-< of the :-1tatc of Colorado, Augu,t 7, 19.'lL.. . 30

nx

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF 1'HE INTERIOR

OSCAR L. CHAPMAN, Secretary BUREAU OF RECLAMATION MICHAEL

w.

STRA"CS, Commissioner

Region 7- Denver, Colo. AVERY A. BATSON, Regional Director

Initial Development

GUNNISON

-_

tRKAXSAS PRO,JECT

Roaring Fork Diversion Colorado

Project Planning Report No. 7-Sa.49-1 January 1950

'

~l\nlDI I I

,

,,..

I , • I 4' I , •

N

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l

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...

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,r. '95) DWER'MIN TUNHCi. M A B A S f N

DEPAR'rl\lENT OF THE INTERIOR, Bun.EAU OF RECLAMATION,

REGIONAL OFFICE, REGION

7,

Denver, Colo.,

July 5, 1950.

(Revised February 23, 1951.)

To: 'The Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation.

From: The Regional Director, Region 7, Denver, Colo.

Subject:

1

_{Report on the lnitio1 Development, Ro11ring Fork}

Diver-sion, of the Gunnison-Arkansas Project, Colorado.

TRAXSMJ'£'l'AL AN]) AuTHORI'1'Y

1.

This is my report on the initial dcvelopmmt, Roaring Fork

diver-sion, of the potential Gunnison-Arkansas project, Colorado. The

initial development, a multiple-purpose project involving

transmoun-tain diversion of watPr, is designed as a major step in optimum

utili-zation of water and rch1Lc<l resources in tho upper Arkansas River

Basin. The report and substantiating documents arc submitted for

your approval and for departmental action with a view toward

secur-ing congressional authorization for deYelopment of the project.

2. Authority Lo

Inttke

this report ttnd supporting investigations is

provided in the Federal rc<'lamation laws (act of Juno 17

,

1902,

32

Stat. 388, and acts amenclatory thereof or supplementary thereto).

INTHODUC'l'lON'

3. From its origin on the snowcapped mountains of Lake County,

Colo., the Arkansas River (pronounced Ar-kan-saw) flows Pastward

1,500 miles to its confluence with the l\fississippi. The river's

drain-age from the Conl

,

inenLal Divide to Ellinwood, Ko.ns., comprises the

upper Arkansas Riv<'r Busin. The (•conomy of that semiarid section

of tho Nation is bound closely to its natural resources. Their

con-servation and development ttre essential if the economy of the basin

is to be sti!bilized and expanded. Water is the key resourco and its

utilization for all bPneficial purposes is of prime importance. The

.Arkansus River is the hydrologic artery of the basin.

It

furnishes

municipal water, industrial water, and irrigation water. The

be-havior and the yield of the river are, thcrc.'fore, of concern t.o

1111

inter-ested in irriga.tion agriculture, in the protection and expansion of

busi-ness invPstmrnts, and in the wise and orderly development of the

re-sources of the busin.

4. The potential Gunnison-Arkansas project is a major unit in the

comprehensive phtn of development of the water resour<'es of the

upper .Arkansas River Basin which is being investigated by the

Bureau of Reclamation. The proj<>ct is adaptable to construction by

successiv~ cumulative stages. Tho initial development is planned 11s

1 ''Initial Do..-<'lopment, Roaring Fork Di,ersion. o( the Oi,nnison· • .\.rkansos Project. Colorado" wa.q tbe origini.l name US("<) for nroiect whPn the pro]eet report w,.s prepared. It is now proposed to change tbe name o! the project to the "Fryinll})8n·Arkan.sas Project."

4

FHYJNGPAK-AilKANSAS PRO.rnC'r, COLORADO

n. comp let

cly

ind1>pcndo11

t

m11ltipl('-purposc unit tlutt

could

be

the

first

sta~e

of a much largN' project.

The

comprehPnsive

project

wou

l<l

req

II

ire

c:xporta

tion of

a

relatively h1 rge nmou n

t,

of Colorado

R i

vPr

wat<'r

cast ward t.hrough

t.lH•

C'ontim•n Lal

Div

i1le to tho

Ar-kansas

Vttllcv

of

Colorndo. The full potential uses of water in

western Coloi-o

.

do

hn

ve not been

compl<>td.\

determined; thoreforC',

only Lim amount of

water

assuredly.

bC'yond tho requirNnents for

dev<'lopment

,

011 I he weslN'n slope is propo-.ed for diversion ttt, I !tis

time.

5.

This

report

and

altitdwd

su

bstan

1

ia

I

ing n•pot·t ha

.

ve been

sponsored and

prepared hy l

,

he Huren.11 of RPdumation for the

United

Stu.tes Department

of

tho

TntNior.

All o.gcncies

of

the Dop11rtment

concrrned

with tho devf'lopment n

.

nd administrntion of resources in

the

project area }uwe made important

contributions.

Ot,her Fcdeml

agencies, numerous

St.ate

ttnd

local govetmnN1 tu I

agencies,

water

dis-tricts,

civic

organizations,

corporate enterprises, and

private

indi-vidunls

have

given substontial

aid in t

,

h1• developnwnL of the report.

Prelimim1ry dn1.fls

of

the

report

Wt'l'C

furnished to

tho

Stn,tes

of

Colorado

11,ml

Kansas,

and

to

the

field

ofiices of affected

·Fedl'rn.l

agencii>s.

'l'lwsc drafts were reviewed

by

the two Stu.t.es imcl at fiehl

level by the following agencic•s:

Dc·part.ment

of

1

\gricultme:

For0st 8ervicc

Soil C'ons!'rvn.tion

Service

DPparlrnent

oft.he

Army, Corps of Engineers

Federal Power

Commission

DepnrlmenL

of

the Interior:

Bureau of :\fines

Burl'all of Lnnd \,fonagcmcnt

Fish

and

Wildlife

Service

Geologico.l

Survc•y

National

Park

Service

D1':8CRIPTION 01'' AHF;.\

6.

Physicalfeatuns.-'I'wo

distinct nrcas nre involved in l,hc project.

They

arc

scpara

ted h~·

the Continental

Divide which cxcet'ds nn

nltitude of 12,000 frrt. 'l'lw ,\

·

estern slope

diversion

!HM,

where

trnns-mountain water would lw

obtained,

is lo('n

!Pd

in

tlH' Roaring Fork

River Basin

of

the

Colorado

Rin'r drainag-e.

WalPI' would be

di-verted from tribnturic,s of thr Fr~·ingpan River nnd from

Hunter

Creek-both

tributari0:,; of tho Hon

.

ring Fork. The diversion nren,

is

mount.nino111-

and primitiv<'. It is

located

within

tlw

bounadrics

of the Whit.e River National Forest at

elevations

ul>o\TC

10,000

foot.

::\lost of tlw

100-sqtro.re mile

area.

is ac<'essihle onl;\· by trails.

7. 'l'he

easlPJ'Jl

slope

project

area

exte1uls

from tho hcadwtiters of

tho

Arkn

.

mms lliv<'I'

,

rwar Leadville,

t.o

the.

Color11do-Kans,is

bo1111<lar.\

·

.

The

uppPI'

n•aches

of the A rkansns Valky nrc o.s

rugged

ns t

,

he

divrr-sion

area. 'l'hc Rock~· .:\lountu.ins reach t.heir highest clevn l

,

ion near

Leadville at l\fount Ellwrl, 14,431

f1•0l 11bovo

sea

lt•vcl.

C)o:,;c

b~

·

arc

.:\fount

~

,

fo.ssive, 14,419 feet, and Mount. Ila,rvard, 14,3!'19 feet.

l~llwrt and

Mnssive nrc

the

se<"ond

and third highest

pt>aks

in the

continental

United

Stales.

Originating

high ahovo

timberline,

tho

Arkansas River flows

south

and east-successively through

co.nyons

FRYI'.'\GPAN-ARKANSAS PRO,JECT, COLORADO

5

and foot.hills to the gen tl.v rolling

11 ii;h

plains. Approximately 38

1wrcent of t.lw

i>ast Prn

slop1• projl'et

area is below

11n

al

ti

Ludo of

5,000 feet

.

,

relal irnly levt·l, and

suitable

for

forming.

8.

Clim.at

e

.

Tlw

projrct 11rea hns a range of l'iimu

.

te

fron1

sub-humid

in

t

,

b(• high mountains t

,

o

semiarid

in lhc lower nltitudrs. On

tlw wcslrrn

slope,

tlw

vil111gc

of

Nast, located just below the diversion

nrca at.

an ultit.ude of

8,800

feet,

has

a mNU'l

annual

precipitation

of J

7.86 inches,

irn ftYrrll!!<'

temperature of

36.6°

F., and a frost-free pel'iod

u

,

vemging

only

(>(i

da:rn. Corresponding data for

rcprt>sen lal

,

ive

"·enthcr

st11Lions

on the eastern

slopr

arr--~tstion J,t•advilJE'. __ ---· __ --- ·---- __ ·---... • •••.•. __ .. _ Canon City .••.••••.•••... ····---·-·· ·-Pueblo ... ____________ . ___ . _____ ..•. _... • •• ·· ---Rock)' Ford ... ___ . __ ... __ ·----·· ••••• J. .. amnr... ... ····---- ---- ---Altitude 10, 182 l'>.343 4,808 4.117 3.61~ PrcciJ>lt.o-tlon (inches) 18.11.1 12. 98 11.67 12.30 16.05 Tempera· tur~ (• F.) 35.6 :13.4 52. 0 ~ I M.4 1''ro~t-lm.' 1,erlo,I (dtl)'S)

9.

J>opul.ation.-rnoilicial t'stirnnll's

plaf'e

thP populu

.

t.ion

of

lfie

upper Hottring Fork

Hi,

·

N

Ba;;in

a.t

abnu

I

1,000

1wrmu11c>nl

rt•sidents.

.\spen,

the ln

.

rg<'st

eo111mu11i1y,

had

11.

pop11h1tion

of 777

in 1940. Othl•r

residN1ts

live

on nuwli!'s

or al

n•sorts

or

in

t.Lw

s111t1ller

villu"cs.

.Few,

if any

,

person~

liH

in

tl1e

divl'rsion

a.rea

proper.

"'

I 0.

The

populal

ion of

the

eustrrn slopP projcet

arN1

reached

278,000

in

1940.

l

;

noffi('ittl loe:d

f'slimttlPs

placed the

11.)48

populalion

11~

162,000

-

a

;rn-,)('n·c-nt

in('reo.so oYer

1940.

Preliminan

'

tmofficial

rel

urns of the

1050

census disclose

that

,

Ptwblo's

!040 populal ion

of

52, 1G2

had incrNtsed

to G;J

,."iG

l

and

('olorado

~p rin~s'

pop11lal ion from

:rn,

789 to

4

5.269. Ot

h(•r

siz11b!P

('Ommunit

ies in the rnJler

and

their

H)40 populations

lll'P

I.etHh·ille,

4,774;

Su.lidu,

4,969;

(in.non

City,

Ci,690;

Lit

,Junht, 7 .040;

and

La1m11·, 4,4fl5.

11.

P,'eN'llf r/,,rf'fopmf'flf.

Li

Vt'stoek

rn.nching

and the recreational

i1:du1'1

ry

un•

1

liP prin<·ipul

busint'SS

11ctivitiPs

in the upper Roa

.

ring

Fork

Basin. In

tinws

po.st,

mining

was extensiYe.

This

activit

,

\·

hncl diminislH·cl but the lutPnt industlT mrn- be 1·eyivecl. Registered

J-l

t·reford

c11ltle

from

llH'

\\·est

('I'll

slope Inn:<' n•c•ei

nd

m1t iomtl

reC'O"-ni

tion.

VVinter

,;;ports.

rneutioni11g.

irnd

spo1·t

fishing

are

becomi1rg

increasingly import ant t

11 roug-hou

t

the hu~i n.

'l'l1e

di \

'

Prsion arPa

proper

has no

funning a

It

hough

t

\I(' fon•i,;I i1-

wwd for grazing.

l2.

'fhe

uprw1·

pa.rt

of

th1• Arku.11:--11s Vulkv is

similar

in mnnY

rc•specls to

tlw _up1wr H

,

(~lll'ing l

1

_'ork

_Basin.

_~iining

_{is important tit}

and

11Pn1· LP11<l;

·

!l1(• 11.~1d

wmh•r

nnd

~ummer sports

bring m11ny

persons

l

,

O

I

he urett.

.

I

lw

<'t t \'

of Pueblo 1s t.lte focal

C('nter

for

the varied

industrial d('vrlopment of th1• vo.11('>'·

'fhc most

importunt industrial

()l~t1•rpriscs,

hasNI upon th<' 1939 census of husin('SS, induded 1

steel

null,

o.

ccnwnt

plant,

smelters.

iron foundries, hrick

1md

t

.

ile

plu.nts,

machine shops, nnd ngricultural proc0ssing plants, including 2:3

grnin

elevators,

3

flour mills,

8

frc,d

gl'ind

ing

ancl

mixing plun

ls,

9 alfalfo.

mills,

4

nwat pa('king

pl11

.

nts,

a

beet

sugar

fn.doriPs,

and

5

canning

plan

:s.

13. Agriculture, howevr>r, is the

mm1t

important indust

,

ry of the

valley. .More than

87

p0n·rnt of the land

11rc•a,

including timberland,

6

FRYINGPAK-ARKANSAS PROJEC'l', COLORADO

is used for grn.zing.

Cultivo.tod

lands

com~ri~e

_10

percent of _th~

area

of

which

about

one-fourth, or

322,000

ttcres, 1s 1rr1gated. The 1rngated

la.nd

exerts

an

extremely significant

influence on

tbe economy

of the

valley. It stabilizes the

economy of

an urea mo.ny

times

greater

than

thaL o.ctunlly irrigatt>d.

.

14.

Many irrignt

,

ed

er~ps o.re

grown successfully

1~1 t.he Arka.1;1sus

V allev when water

supplws are

adcquo..to.

In

the

lugher elPvahons

hiw

tame

pasture,

and small

Rro.ins predominate. They are marketed

d1I~fly throtwh

livestock.

The foothills

area in

Fremoul, and Pueblo

Coun.ties in

~uldition

to

general

irrigated

crops,

produce fruits, vine,

and

t1·11~k crops.

Below Pueblo t

,

he principal irrigated cr-0ps are

alfolfo

.

, eom, grnin sorghum, sugar

bPl:'_l.s,

bnrley

an<l

wh~·at, truck

crops

and

dry

beR

.

ns. Cnntuloups,

oruons,

cucmnbors,

pickles,

to-mo.to~s.

fmd

red

bt,ets

nrc high!~-

successful

truck

crops.

Dairying

an<l poultry raising are important

entorpris0s near

market outlets.

15.

The

size of irrigatt:>d

forms

vu.rics

from

small

truck farms and

orcho

.

rds to

g('!1eral

purpose forms of

several

hundred acres. ln

1940

the average irrigaled farm

below Salida consisted of 356

1uTPS

of

whid1

81

acres wr.rP irrigntNI. Irrigated lo

.

nd

values nrnge

up

to

$250

n.n

ttcre deprnding upon

soils

n,nd waler

rights.

Gross

crop

values o.lso

v1iry

considerably.

011

the basis of l

939

-

44

crop

pric<'S, tLc o.vero.go

irrigated

gross crop vnlues

rn

.

nged

from

$30

to

$40

nn aero

over the

critic11l

1030-41

period.

Specialty crops

n.nd

seed

crops

often

pro-vide

gross

returns

manv

t.imes tlH1

:woragc.

16.

Kinety-six

pe

.

rce11t of

tlw

irrigo.tod land

in

the Arkansas Val)ey

is identified as

classes

1

urnl 2 according to Bureau

of

.RPclamo.tion

stand11l'ds.

It

is

of

high to mcdi um prociuctive

capacil,y; consists

of

silty loam, cla

.

y

loam,

and chiy soils;

o.nd generally

has

good

surface

drainage.

.Alkalinity and

snlinity are

not

serious

problems.

XE'ED FOH D1'.lVELOP!\rnNT

17. Tho western

slope

diversion area proper is nationa.l forest land

not

suitable

for irrigation.

0Lhcr

areos in

the

Colorado R;iver Basin

have

irriguted and irrigable Ja

.

nds. Present

water uses m w~st~rn

Colorado will undoubtedly

expand

11nd new usei.

may

ma.

termhzc.

The increase1l uses mav result from expansion of irrigation and from

such

po ten tiH

.

l indusl

rln

.

l devrlopments as mining,

I

umbering-, wood

pulp produrlion, nnd _oil

shale

refining. Investignt~on~ of

the

Gunnison-Arkansas prOJPCt were based upon ~he pnnc1pl~ thu.

t

all

present, and potential usrs of

Colomdo

~1vcr :water 1~ the

nn.tun1l baKin

in

Colorado must he

prol

,

(•d0d. l!.xtcns1vc

sLud1os by

the

BurP!ut 11nd

by

committees

o

.

ppoinh•d b:v Lhe

Colorado Water

Conservn,tion

Iloarcl

confirm

the

exist cnce

of u plentiful

supply of

wnter

in

the

diversion area. The

st

.

udies also

substantiate the

con-<·lusion that po.rt of thttt walPr

can

feasibly l!e .diYcrted

witho_ut

detriment to

tho diversion area or to other

ox1stmg

u.ncl

potential

wo.ter

uses on the

western slope

-

even

though

complete

future wuter

requirements for n.U possible uses

cu_nnot.

be foreseen

for

all of

w~s~e:n

Colorado.

The relntiveh·

small

d1Yers1ons proposed for

t,hc

m1L1al

development-replaced i;1 time, quantit~·, nnd plo~·e

hy

o. reservoir

near Aspen

and

by judirious opcmtion of

t~e

})l'OJ.rct ~nse<l on the

opcro.ting principles hereinafter

sot

forth

-

will noL unpa1r the future

economic

growth of

the western slope, harm present wnt.cr users, or

FRYINGPAN-ARKANSAS PROJECT, COLORADO

₇

create

a risk in meeting the Lee Ferry obligation of the Colorado

River compact.

18.

lrrigation.-The

main agricultural part of

the eastern

slope

project areo. is in tho

semi0,rid

zone of

11

to 16 inches of nnnual

pre-cipitation. Seventy

to

eighty-six

percent falls during the April to

October

growing season.

Dr.v farming is and prob11bly will continue

to be practiced

extensively.

Livestock

grazing

on tho ranges 11nd in

the forests is also o..n

extensive enterprise.

However, both typos of

agriculture

rrquire largo land n

.

reas, and

drv

farming particularly

dep01uls upon

tho vagm·ies

of

the weather. General cultivated

ngri-cult.uro imd

specialty high-value

crops,

ma

.

ny of

which

are

required to

st

,

a.bilize

tho

ngricultura.I economy

of

the 0,rea., require

more water

than

typical <lrylan<l crops.

Irrigation

is

the only means of providing

a

depen<lf1hle

supply.

19 .

.

I<::arly irrigal.ion in the Arkansas Vi1lley

coi1l<'id<'d wit,h av11ih1ble

strC'n.m

run-off. As

rendy

markets developed.

irrigalion

farming wn.s

expanded

and

it

demand developed for late

season

water which

could

not

b<' supplied by

unregulated

streamflow. Consequently,

between

1890

and

1910,

three

reservoirs in the hco.dwn,tcrs nren, o.nd

11

ofl'-stream reservoirs

below Pueblo were

constructed.

In

1949

the

John

::\f

artin R<•servoir

on the

.Arkansas River was

completed by the Corps

of gngineers for

conservation storage

and flood

control.

It o.lso

has

fm irrigation

stornge spncc

of

420,000

acre-feet.

The three heRdwaters

rcs<•rvoirs lmve

a capacity

of

84,400

acre-feet.

The

11

ofl'-sLream

reservoir::i hovf• n present,

capacity of

300,000

acre-fret which

repre-sents about

75 percent of the

original

capacity

as 11

consequence

of

sedimentntion. Eight privn

.

tely owned

transmountain diversion

sys-tems import about

48,000

aero-fret annually.

.

20.

~fore

tlrnn

40

canals

and. ditches

supply

irrigation

water

to

Jands-m

the valley

between

Canon Cit~,

o.nd the

Colorado-Kansas

boundary.

Sediment deposition

in

canals

11nd ditches has become

o.

major irrigalion

probli>m in

the

Pueblo-Las Animas reach. In

some

instances lonO'

reservoir fr0drr ranals have lost

50

percent

of

their capacity becaus:

of

sedimentation.

21.

The o.mount of irrigation water a vaihtble for the

322

000 acres

of irrign,t

.

ed

lnnd in

the

project

area varies considerably

fro:U

vear

to

ye~r.

.

Sddom

is the suppl_v

U.<~eq

uu.te

for maximum crop

procitwtion.

Irnga.t10n wnter shortages as lugh n.s 78 percent of

crop

requirements

have occurred. The ('Stimn

.

ted o.voro.gc

cnnitl

hen,dgate divc·rsion

re-quirement is

3.19 acre-feet

an acre.

Allowing

for tolerable

shortages,

thaL

hcndgate

requirenll'nt

can

b(' reduced to

3.10

ncrc-fcet. Tho

average

a.mount of st:>aso1ml

irr.igation water historically nvailable

between Pueblo and tlw Kansas

State

line has ranged from

0.9

acrc-fcet an ~ere in

1934

t?

2. 7 acre-fceL

Jn

1942:

The base flow of every

stream m

tho valley

is ovcrapproprialed. Enhancement

of the

irri-gat

.

ion \\,:fl!er

suppl~·

d('p~nds upon r0guh1Lion

of existing supplies

for

more

efhe1enl

use, o.cl.d1t10nal

slorng0 capaeiLy

for

1

he

conservation

of

excess

fl~od .flows, _reservoir

space

for holdover

sLor11.g1-1,

and new

"'.a.LN· _supphes lor wluch

the only tipparcnt source

is transmountain

cl1vet·s10n. from

the Colorado

UivPr rlra.innge.

. 22.

Pow~r.

-

Pow,,r

facilities

of the

initial development will be

de-signed for mtegro.tion

with the

power

facilities

of the Dureo.u's

Colo-ruclo-Big Thompson project and with locttl utilities to serve a

com-bined power market arCil. The

combined

area, which

consists

of the

8

FRYIN"GPAN-ARKAN:-.AR PROJECT, COLORAL>O

cntirt>

Pastern s

l

op<'

of Colorado and Gran<l

nnd

Summit C'ounlit•s

on

th<•

western

slope. <'Omprises

roughl:,-

two-thirds of

lhr

Stnt<' nn<I

rout.ti

ins n

larg<'

majority

of

llH'

Slate's

populn

t

ion nml ind ustriC'S.

1'hP nrPH i::i iwrvrd with

pi(0

etrieity

b:v 15 privo,tp 11tiliti1's, 2ri mtmi<'iJ>O.l

orgunizntions, 11

REA

c•ooperntivcs,

and

tlit• Bureau of Rr<'lamntion.

Although not consid1·1·1•d II

prrmnnc11l

pa.

rt

of

IIH·

pmwr

market area.

louds in

th<•

vicinit:,·

of (hmnison nnd Saguu<'h<' mu:,· bt•

"len-ed

origi-nullv by

th<' initittl

dPn•lopmt•nt

lweanse of

their

proximity to the

profe<'t • J)OW('I'

systl'm.

The Colon~dn-Big rhomp8011 pr~jt'<'I lins,

nmong otlwr fl'11t11n•s,

tlw

21,fi00-k1lowutl

(Treen

\fountain

hydro-c•lt•t•tric plunt

now in op<·ration

on

th<' W<'sfrrn

i;}op<.', und, wlwn

c·om-pktC'd,

will

ulso

hnn

b,nlroPlt><·tri<' plants

on

thC' eastrrn slopi> north

of DPn

Y1•r.

:2:l.

In

I

)p('pmber 1 !148

t

ht• In lc•st :nu

1·

of

c•om

pl1·t

P

record

-

in-:-i1

u llt>d gl'n,.rating

<'HJ)ll<'ily

in tlw c•omhirwcl

f!m,Pr markPt

art'U

totnkcl

;~47

.10:;

kil<l\\

ntts.

Of.

t

liu t

total

,

J:W.000

ktl<l\\

1lt

t;; W!'l'<'

clt'pt'ndnblc

1•upaC"ity.

Only

about

20

prrcrnt of the ir1s+nllc>d

C'Opnc·it~'

wa"

hydr-powt•r.

:o;trnm enpn<'il .,

1·ornpri.::Pd

i:l

p<'r1·1•11t. A~

numhrr

of

indu<:t 1·ial

plunls in 1lw

lll'Nl

havp

lill'il' own ~<'nPrnling-

Hystt•ms

wl1i,·h. <'tHnhirwd.

l11n-r

n.n i11f-tnllPcl c·np11<·ity of u bout

8ii,OGO

kilo\\ ntts.

'.!-1.

Tlw nonc·oinc·id1•11t p<'uk

d1•11111111I for power

in

t

lw

murkPl lll'<'n

in

19-1~ l'Plldlt'd ;~Q0,00()

ki]O\\Ults

about l:?

J)('l'<'l'llt

lllOI'(' tlt!lll

the

nt>t

n~s111·1·d

rnpnl'itr of

2Gi,COO

h.ilcnrnlt.;;.

Forr<'11sh

i11tlieat"

lhut

the clPJ)<'IHI

II

hh·

ea

pnci

t ~·

1·1•11

u

i

n•111t•nts

will

lw

nbou

t

o~i2 ,000

kilowatts

by I !)(30

nnd

!}(Hj,000

kilmrn

t ts

hy

I fl70. 011 t

hi> bnsi;;

of

1!148

in<:tnlln-t

io11s, plus nil known ndditions

!'('ht•tluled

or proj1•c·trd,

ll'ss nomrnl or

nPc'<';:sury

rrt

in•mrnts.

t

IH·

markt'l

orea will still baw

o.

dC'ficit•n<·, in

J)OW<'r

stipply.

,

2;3.

AR of 1 !liiO. msl1·rn C'olornclo

dot''-1

not

IH\V<'

a hi~h-vollag(I

trans-mis~ion

l\\Stt>rn

infprc·omwcting

nil

important

loo.cl

eenlN"S.

Ties

of

utilities to <'11t1hl('

inl<•rdrnngr

of powPr Ill'<' Pssentinl for

muximum

<'fTi<'it•nev of sc•rvice

and

II t

ilizn

t

ion.

26.

,.\funi<'ipal

water.-

:\losl.

of the Arlrnnsns

Ynllt•y towns

b<>low

PuPhlo

ohtnin

muuieipul wat<'r from pumpC'd Wl'lls. Other

vullry

c·ommunitit•s

use

wnt<•I'

from

stn•1nns

and

Rprings.

lu

general, the

qunlit:y-

i~

poor ht>eau;;<' of

E'X<'<'ssin•

hordn<'s'-1

27.

Colorndo

~µrings

obtains

ex<'ellent. wnl

Pl'

from

th<'

slop<•s

of

l'ik<·s

Penk. Tht1

<'it.v

(•xpt'rient'cd

Wtt(PI'

shortogrs

prior t,o

10:37.

Since thN1, its w11.1Pr

stomg:e cnpadt,- has b1•(•n doubll'd 1incl all R(•t·vi<'e

connectioni:.

lrnxe

bN•n

meten•<L

ThP

eity

hos indi<•1ttPd

an 11rg<"nl

net•d

of 4,000

aere-frt•t of

supplNnenlal muuiripal wnt

<'I'

imnwclint(•ly

nnd

11

prohnhlt· ll('!'d

for

an

additional

Hl,000

a<·ri•-fppf

by

tlw ., co.r

2000.

In 1!>49,

Colorodo 8pri11~,i

startrd

<ll'illing

1

lw Iloosi<'l· poss

t,ransmotmt nin

divprsion

tu 11111·1 which wou Id

import western

slope

wnlt•r

from

t

h

e

Blue> Rin•r. The city

hus

Pxpressed

interest

in

obluioing

supplNnentul municipnl

wn.ter

from

the

initial dcvclopm<•nt

by

exchang('

rrwthocls.

· 28. Puehlo ohtains

its

munieipo.l

wnlPI' from the

.\rkansas

.RivPI'.

During

11eriods

of low

flows

th<' watt•r

is of poor

qunlitv. 'fhe

wn.1

t>r

is

rclo.tively html

and unpulatahh•.

In

1 n:{8.

Puebio

ae<p1irecl

t,he

Wurtz

dit,

di which

imports

annmtll:,

about

2,000

IH'l'P-f

Pi>t

of

water

from t.he w1•stcm slope. Much of

the

yi1·ld from that tmnsmounto.in

I

JrojPct

111s indicat<'d n.n immt•cl int e need for 5,000

is

lost to muniC'ipul us11 for

lock

of

storage

ttcre-fret of municipo I

spncc•.

'l'hc'

city

FHYl!'iGPAN-AllKANSAS PHOJECT, COLORADO

₉

wo.~er

(inclu<)i~g

the 2,000 acre-feet

of

Wurtz

ditch

water) and

an

ult1mnh•

n.dd1honnl

DC'ed

of

15,000

a<.'re-feet bv

the year 2000.

Tho

city hO.S

also

l'XJ)l'('SSed int<'l'('Sl,

in obtaining trc.>o.tment

of

itR

present

supply

of 21,000 !ttn·-fcet.

29.

C'1mon City

und

Ro1·ky

F'ord obtuin

munidpul water from the

Arkansns River. C11non (

'i(r

has

not

rt•q ll<'Stt•d

project wntt•r.

30.

The

lO\\

11s

of

~In!1zunola., Roek.,· 1''ord, La ,Junt,o.

Lns .Animas,

ancl Lamar, nnd

tlw off-gtn•nm towns

of Crowl<•Y, Wikv

nnd

Eads

hllV!' J'eqtl<'St.ed lrentcd lllltuit'ipal

WalN'

from

the

project' to replace.

entin·ly

their p1·<•sent

supplies.

Their immedintc

needs

an•

n.bou

t

8,000 ll<'rc-fcet.

31 . .

fi'lood control.-F('w dumaging

floods

of rN·o1'<l

haYt'

O<'f'UJTi>d in

the

div<.'rsion

11r1•n nnd

in

the Arlrnnsus YallPy

down to

('1t11011

City.

From t,

hl•re

l'OSI ward,

how1•v<'r,

1h1.

m11gi11g floods i11<·n·as<• in frequen<·y

and volumy

to tllC' m.outh

of

1111•

Purgal<~irl'

Rivt•r.

The

lnrgl'st

Hood

of

rt•<·orcl

m

tht·

proJP<'i

111·pn

oc·e111T1·d

m

,Jww 1921.

Int<•nst• ruins

(·auspc)

flows

n

l

l'lll·hlo i·~t

imu te<l

n

t

103.000

s<'<·ond-foct.

Down-st n·um

trihulnrii•s c·ontrili11t«>d

to th,•

flood

until

the peak

of

200 000

sern1ul-f1•pt, wns

r1•11dH•d

ut

Ln

,Junto..

The flood

killf'd nt

lt•11,1,t

78

pers~ms;

propt•rty

dnmngt•s exc:eeded

!til!J.U00,000, induding

$10,000,-000 m Put>blo.

32. As

n

rrsult

of

that disnstro118

flood,

a

hnrriPr

dam

H<Toss

tl1E>

~\.rlrn11s11s

Riv<•r,

0

milt•s

wt•st,

of

P1wblo, ancl

u n

improv,·d

Hoodwn.v

elurnn1•l throu1,.d1 t,

hP 1·it.y

W<'r<'

1·0111plPl<'d in l!l2H.

Anoth1

·1·

flood-<'OH

t

l'Oi

st

n1et

111·p, t

lit• ,Joli

11 ~

l

urtin Rl'::.c•rvoir, locntc,<1

on

t

ll(' .\

rknnsns

~iv~r

rlt'u.r

L11m111·,

~~olo.,

wn,-

eomp~<·tc•d

in

194!)

h.v

tlH•

Corps

of

Eng111<•t•1-s.

A

mu

It

rpfo-purpo::c

proJ <'ct,

281,000

ncre-foct

of

its

701,000

1tcre-foot 1·1tpt1city

o.n•

ollocute<l

to flood

control.

33.

•

\ flood clo ngl'r still exists

from Pu(•hlo

downslrN1 m to th<• John

.:\fortin RPservoir.

The

Co1·ps

of

E11gin(•prs lms

t•stimatl'd

that

thr

~u~n.ual

damages

along

thnt

!'l'l~l'h

of

thl' riwr av1·1·u~<'

$890,000.

ThP

uutml drvelopnH'n

t

t'Ould Pl11n111tt

t

c

u

bout

66

pt-rc·,•11

t of that

probitble

damag(•.

34.

Ai<811ciatnl

m'u/.~.-81•diml'nl l'Ontrol, str1·nm pollution

abat.P-ment,

Pnham·c•nH•nt

of

th1• t•u,

ironment

for

fish

lllltl

wildlife

ull(l

pr:ov ision for 1·c·1·1·c•u

lion

are other

1wt:ds

of thP

projt•(·l

aren nsso~io.tl'd

with

waler d<'Yt·lopment.

lrnlustnnl

expansion, conservation of

forest

1111d

nlll~t·

lnnds,

on<I

stnbilizatio11

of the

ent

i1·e

e<'onomv

bv

bu \n11<:1•cl div

er~ifi!'t~

t~on of in

tprc_•sl

111'<'

l'('('Ogniz<'d ns

Iong-1\lllgo

obJr<·tivc•s.

Th<•

m1lrnl

dl'\'Plopnwnt

eould

imnwdiutelv

nnwliorate

some

of the prohlt•rns :-tt•n1111i11~

from

I

host>

needs.

Resolution of

tlw

long-mngp

ohj pc·t

iv1•s

will

r1•q II

irP (·oor·d

ir111 t!'d

n11cl unselfish

<·oopera-l

ion

hy

all

eili:wns,

11g1>111·i<'s,

1111d

en

lit

iPs 1·ont·1•r1wcl.

:1.1. ~l<'ntio11 hu.~

ulrPady

1>1•1•11 mud<•

of

tbe

1wutP

sedinw11lu.tion

prohll'lll ufff'<'ling irrigation

in

tht•

nwin Al'kansos

\'nlkv.

.Al

Pul'blo

tlw

1:in•r

UllllUlllly

trunsportd ohout

044 aae-foet of sediment.

Ap-prox1mal<{v

42

p1•n·1•11t

of

tho l

sedim<'llt

is deposited

in

r<•,,p1Tnirs,

t·n

.nn

Is,

!m~l

lat

,

(•n1h1;

about ;{8

per~·<.•nt h<•<·onl(:s tmdPsirNl

cll'posit

ion

011

t

ht• ungn

t

ed

lands. Agg-rndttt

1011

of

the

r1

vl'r

C'ha,ml'l hus 11rnd <'

somt·

irrigation

cliver:c-ion

stnl<'tun•s

innperntin•·

othN· divPrsion

«truelllrt•'\

have•

ll!'C'<'S"lll'ily

IH•1•n

rnisPd.

Remov~'<l

sedi11w11t

now

lines. som<•

cnrrnl

hnnk,;; a11cl

ful'tht>r

disposal

hus

bc•c·omt•

n·r.r

ex-pe11s1,·<•.

Canu

I

s1111d

t I'll

ps

1111

H'

lw1·omc• inopl'ruth-e.

'l'IH'

only

11 ppii.1·t•11 t

immc,d

i11 t t•

sol

111 ion

is

pmv

is

ion

of

resrl'Voir spn<'e s1wc•ificttHy

for

th1·

deposition

of

::.edimt•nt.

10

FRYINGPAN-ARKAKSAS PROJECT, COLOilADO

36. Stream pollut.ion has not, l'<'ftdH'<l <langc·rous or St'rious

pro-portions

:in

the Arkansas Vallc•y. The most noticeable effects of

industrial

pollution

11.rfl

found below Leadville as

tt

result

of

mine

dntinage ll.JJd tailings.

37. Fishin~ is

11

summer s

port,

of

considerable

finoncial significance

in thR

divf'rsion

a

rea

11.n<l

in

the

upper Arlmnsas

Vttlley.

The

Fish

and Wildlife Service

has

prepared

a prcliminar~'

report

,

on tho

sub

ject

nnd has made tentative rccornmt'ndations

conceming

minimum flows

needed to

preserve fishery

vtilues in the diversion 1.rNt. 'l'he

project

has

been so plnnned and open1ting

rul!'s have

been so

formulatecl

us

to prevent

the

diversion of waler which

would

rcduci> lhe flows bc•low

the

specified minimum. Continued

studies

of

th

e

requirements

of

tho

.fishcrv

resources are needed t,o develop

rdincment

s

under

the

terms of the

opornting rules.

38.

The

mounlainous

port

ion

s

of l>olh slopes of the project

area-nwl

Pspecinll.v the

cl

ivcrsion

area

-

com binc

such

desirable q unlilies

as scenic

1tttnwt

,

iv01wss.

wildemc

s

s

c

luu·actt!r,

rrmotencss, wo.ter for

fishing.

and

sk

iing

facilities.

Consequently, they ttre

import.imt

recreational

areas

nt a.U seasons. The

National Park

Service

has

m11Je

o. preliminary report on the project. area and on

t

,

he

recrcationu.l

.

aspects

of the initial

development

,

. Its

recommendations will

be

Jollowed

to tho

fullest extent

possible.

!'LAX OP DEV.1':l,OPM~!N'f

39. 'l'he initial

development

is

keyed

to

transmount

,

a

.

in

diversion

of

water from the Colorn

.

do

H.iv

er

drainnge enstwunl to the upper

Arkansas

Rivl'r Vallev.

'l'he diverted water

nnd rf'l't>gulatod native

eastern slope water WOUld provide for

SUpp]PITH:'11llll

irrigal.ion, furnish

supplemental 1rnd new supplies of muuicipul

w3:ter,

and enabJc

the

generation

of

hydroeloctnc power.

Otil('l'

mult1plo-purpose u.spe.cLs

of the project include

flood

and

sedinwnt

control,

st

r

eam

pollut

1011

abatement

,

and fish and wildlife cons<'rva tion. All

estima

lt>s,

S

JW<'ifi-cations,

m~d

description of

features

are

necessarily prelimi!mry and

suhj<•ct

to

some

modificntion

und

refinement

when dela1lcd dn.tn.

becomes available.

40.

As a

rosnlL

of

tlw

diversion of water from

t.l11• Coloro.do River

Basin, this potential initio.l d

evo

lopmen!

is

co:1sistent with

tJrn

pnr-posos

of the

Colorudo

~tivcr stora~e

proJe~t.

l

he extent of its

reh1-tionship to the

uppl'r Color11do

River Ba

s

in dovelopmon~ and to

the

upper Arkansas

River

Bosin

developm<~nt,

c.an br more

(1rrn]y t'St

ah-lish

ed

as t.hos,, cle\·clopmonts

proceed.

In its plan

for

the C'olorado

H.i

ver

st

oro.ge project

,

th

o

B ureriu of Reclumo tion cont

em

plo.to~ at

IC'nst,

six mujor re~ulatory

resi>rvoirs

in tho upprr C'olorodo

River

Basin.

ThC'

1wed

for the

stornge

project.

stems from

t

ltc compncts

pertaining to Colorndo Riv"r waters. The Colorado River

compact

n.pportions

the

us

e

of 7.5

million acro-foeL

of

wnler

annually

lo the

upper Colorado River Basin.

It

also

pr~>Vidf's_

lbnt lhe ~late~ of

the upper division

(Colorndo

₁

New

.

]\

f

ex1,eo,

l

,

ta~1, and W ~·om1ng)

will

not

f'tlllS('

the flow of the nvcr at

Lee

rl'l'r

y,

Anz., to be

deplt•ted

below an aggregate of

i5

million ttcre-fef'i for o.ny period of

IO

ron-secutive yeiirs.

This

compact wtts signed

.N

oyemlwr

24,

1922, and

made

i>ffcd

ive pursuant to the terms of the Boulder Cl!

.

n_ron Act.

The upper Colorudo

Riv

er

compaet

in turn apportions lhc us? of

Colorado River water to the

four

States n.nd

Ar1zoua

.

,

on.cl provides

l:"HYL'iGPAN-ARKANSAS PROJECT, COLORADO

₁₁

for the sharing of

joint

water obligations of the four Stu.t.cs.

The

upper Colornclo River

compact

wns signed October 11

194

8

suhse-quent.ly

rn.tified

by

t

,

he upper basin

Stn.tos

and approve;!

by

tl1e

Con-gress. Ji'ull

consumma

tion

of t.11e apportioned uses

of

Colorado River

,~ater in the upper basin

States,

COJ?,Sistent

with the rights and

obliga-tions of

t~w

compa~·ls and

the

Mexican Treaty of 1945, would

r

equi

re

construc

7

t1on of

mttJOI'

regulatory

re

servoirs

in. tl~c upper

basin.

.

41. H

estern slope features.

-

A

system cons1stmg of about 50 miles

of cnnnls und t

,

unnels would enable the collect,ion of

water

from Hunter

Creek ~nd the Fryingpan

Riv

er

-

bot.h tributa

.

ries of the Ron.ring

Fork River. The water so colleclcd would be

diverted

to tho

oastern

:1Iope through_ t

.

h

e

poLent.ial Fr.V'ingpan-Arkansus Tunnel about 6 miles

11~

length. ~mce 1935, tho 'l'win

Lakes

Reservoir

&

Cfnwl Co. has

chvcrtc~I

Wl'Stern

slope witter from the Roaring Fork <lrain:1.ge to its

r~

servo1r

on the <·astem. slope.

.Tho

company

has

o.

legal right to

d~vert. more wutcr l

,

han. 1t, has <ln·erted to date; but such incr('11sed

d1vcrs1ons would bo

dPtrm1elltal

t

,

o fisher·,·

va.lues

in tho Ronrin<• .Fork

River and

it

s

tributaries abo,·~

Aspen.·

ln

order to

preservo

0

those

fislwry

vnlues the pro.1ect plan md11d1's an extt>nsion of

the

colloclion

sys~('lll

to !l~c.

So

uth

ForJ(

of Huntl'r Creek and enlnrgomC'nt of other

proJel'I foc1ht1es

to

permit an <'xclrnnge of water with the Twin Lukes

Co. This plan hingf's

upon

tho execution of agreements wherobv the

co

mpfmy

would refrain

from

certain

diversions through

its

own s,~stcm

.

whe1.1~i,·cr t_h(~ Hntu~·al

flow of the Roaring Fork River folls h~low a

spec1hed minnnum m exchnng-e for

11~1.

t:quivulent supply

dclivcrHd

on

lhe.

<:u.stf'1·n

slopP

t.hrough 1~ro1ect foc1hl1Ps.

The cost of t

,

hese

spe

<'ific

foc1hlH'S

nnd enlargemeni~

1s f'Stirnated

nt $2

179

000 n.nd is co11sidercd

economically justifotble h:v

tlw

Fish

and

Wildlif~

8ervice

on the bnsis

of

resulting bent'fits.

42.

The

Aspen Rl's<'rvoir would he

<'OllSt

ru

cted

near the town of

Aspen

to

r?rovide ~'cplncNnPnt ~\·at,er

and

11.lso to provide water for

fu

t

,

~re use m.

meet

mg-

dem11nds

m

western

Co

lorndo.

'l'be. reservoir,

whl<'h would

mundate

about 650 acres und lrnve un ncti,·('

ctt!)3('itv

of

?8,00Q

11<TP-feet

1

\\'ould lw

cre11ted

by o.n e11rlh-fill dam abou

1,

90 ·r eet

m hr1gl1t.

A

sho

rt,

supply cnnal would divert water from

H

uni

.

er

Creek to lhc rcsl'rvoir.

43. _Tl11• Aspen Dum

sitt> is

at, un altiLude

of

8,017

feet. 'l'hc

collect10n sysl('m

for_

th

e

tn1~1~rno11J1_tnin

divcl'sion would be

entirely

ahovc 10.000

frt'i

alt1t.ude.

l

he rl11ef

constr

u

ction

problems will be

the

short

,

working

sen

.

son

!UH.I

transportation of mu terials.

. 44 ..

The western _slope

fe11t

urrs would

l'llu.hle I

hf' a verngc annual

d1ve!'s1011

of

nn

estimated

()9,200

ncrc-fcet of

projPct

,

water. A,;

n.

n

°s

111t

.

of

('U~tC'l'll

~lope

stor11ge

to

be provided

by

lh('

projPct, n.hout

14,900 1~1·1·P-li>i:t

of

watl'r could uls? be clivert"<l

a

.

nrnuilly

by

th<> 'J'win

!-::a~(t'S

Co., wl\l(:h

cu.rn~o.t

now

l!

t'

dlvPrted

for

lack

o~

storage

cn.pacit.y.

I

hn; woul<l lw m

ad<l1t1on

to

its

presp11t

averagr

dn..-ersion of 38,000

acre-fret.

4_5.

Ea,sten~

slope supp!!J

and

J)()1JJ('I'

JPatures.-In

round figurl'S, the

m1qor

potent ml

('1tstrrn slop<'

pro j<'<'I

fH

ci Lit it's include three

earth-fill

dams.

60

miles of P<:>wer. canal ranging in

c·npaci

ty from

~00 to 1,000

S('C'OJHl-fPet,

three .d1vc•rs1011

dams,

over

1g

miles of diversion eo.nnls,

seveu

hydro-Plt>ctr1c power pla11ts ancl

sw1td1ynrd~,

t

,

hn•

o

small

fore-lm

:ys_

am~ two

u.fterhn

.

y~. _

nine substations, abouL 400 miles of

trans-!}llss1011

l111e,

a.~id

a ~mm1(•1pal wntcr supply

sysle

rn.

Tl11• lntter

system

meludes

Ollf' th

version dam, 15 miles of reservoir

supply cane.I

for

irri-12

FRYINGPAN-ARKANSAS PRO.rnCT, COLORADO

gntion repln.t•t'ment waler, thr<'c• pumping plants. one

i:;mall

rrgulatin{!

1·c•scrvoir,

01w

trentmml plant. and

about

175 mil(•s

of

pipPlin(•s. Otlwr structurps n.nd

1•<p1ipment

would hr r<'qnirNl

fM

c•onstrurtion

and

01wratiou

such

ns

01w pPrmn11Pnt <·amp, c·iu·c,takers' rei:;iden<'<",

urn!

:.hops,

warehouses,

<·011struetio11

<·amps,

ofTi,·<•s

und

hthomtoriPs

,

and

a,

1•ommuni<'n

t

ion~

syst

Pm.

46.

Imported mul nntive wntN woul(l lw storPrl first

in u.n

enlarged

Sul!n.r

Lon{ Rl'servoir

on the Lakr

Fork of tlw

Arkunsn.s

River.

.R,•-lt•usPs

would flow about 20 milcs

south

in t h1• B~lhc•rt St'ction

of

tlw

Arknnsas

powPr

<'nnul.

t

hl'H

through the lWH'rt hydroC'!C'ctric powc•r plunt

n.nd into

the 1•nlurf{cd Twin

J..uki>s R(•st•1Toir.

The

10-milP

:-i11owilN1

c·1uwl would divc•rt additiom1I Arkansn

,<; Riwr wttter into tlw Twi11

Lt1kPs

RrsPrvoir.

From ther1•,

tlw

wnt<•r i1wrN1.sed

hy

trib11-tury int<'rTPJ)t ions mu!

hy tlu• \Yapa(·o

di vprsion from tlu• riYN

-

would

flow soul

h

somr

40 rnil<•s in

t

hi'

Arkan.sos powpr <'ntrnl

t111d lw J'PLlll'llP<I

to the main

strPam rn•,u·

~nlidu.

Power woul<I be g<'1wrnt.e>tl C'll l'Olllt'

in

tlH'

Gnrn1tr. \\Taptll'O, Princeton, Johnson.

nnd ~nlid1t

hydroclrrtri,·

pmwr pl.tmts. ForPhny;; would be providt•d ll boY<' t hP Prin<•rlon,

,Jo]rn<;on,

imd

S1did11

plnnts. Tlw Pxisting Clt•tu·

Cr,·e>k Reservoir

(

cupncity

about J 1.400 lll'l'l'-fN·t)

would

hC'

ndaptPd

for usr as 1m

nftNhny for

t lH' Hrunitr powN plant. An nftrrht1y woulcl

lw prO\-idecl

on

tlw

Arkansas

Hiv1•r

for thc•

Sulidu

plunt. );"enr Sulidtt and C'nnon

City

sonw wnt<•r

might lw

din•rtNl

for

irr

i

gntion.

The rE>rnuindl'r

\\'ould t·ontinUl' down

th<' rivt>r

to the

potPntial

P1wl,lo Rt'sC'rvoir.

.:\lo~l

of tlu'

8

11ppli>nw1llal

il'l'ignt ion rcleasps from that rPs<'l'rnir would I){'

m11dt·

through the P1whlo hydrol•lrctrie powl'!' plm1t.

4 7. Surnmnri:,wd d11111 on

thr

thr<'<' mnjor

P11

s

t

<'I'll slopt• dnms and

J'('Sen

·

oirs

ill"<'

as folio" s:

I >ttm or r.-sorvnir i>n·~·nt r,.,..,\r,·oir cap,,dty (ncre·fl'1•L) ct,r,'rott•rail! y (l\l'N'-ll'<'tl .l,cth·e mµacity (lllT!'·lt•t•t) N' ormnl sur·

c

,

ice

area (ncre.,) JMd1t of d,un (IN't) i-ui::ir LO<lf •••.•.• -... . 17,11011 56.0UO 117, 000 117. 000 I,~ 140 1'win l,:tk1·s ... -··-···· • . ···-·- • ~·~). 000 2f'il, 000 4, 100 !Of•

PtwMo • ···--·-·· ··---·-··· • _ 4c10. ()(Kl aw. ouo 11. 100 tl!O

'fot,11 •• -··

=-

.

~

·

·

·-·----

-

!

1a

_

. 000_~

_

1

_11.~

,

·

-

--,m-, -.

ooo

-

'

'

1

---12,_4_10_1 _______ -__ -•• -. -••

48.

Tlw

Colorado Fu<'l

&

Tron Corp., m\'JIN' und OJ)t'rator of tlrn Su~nr

Lonf

1{1':-if'rvoir,

bus informnlly

reqtlC'~U·d

10.000

acre-foci of

prnj ..

1·1 n•s('1...-oir

storng<' spnc,,

in addition to n•phu·pmcnt

of

its

pn

'

"<'lll

e11p1wit_,.

Tl11• Twin Lukt•s Resel'\·oir

&

Canul

Co. hn.s made o.

simil111·

1·eq11t

•sl

for .>4,000 ncre-ft•pt

of

11.ddilionul

n•,,prvoir

storng1•

spa<·t•.

Bo

t

h

1·om1mnics

would

pay

tl srrYi<'t' churg<'. C'npn<'itiN;

of

1ht>

potential

l•;nstrm

~lnpl'

r1•:.t

•

rvoir

s

hnY<'

hl'<'ll tentntivcly itllnl'nted 11s

follow,-

:

Fun cl ion:

('on~t·rvt1lio11.__ _ ·---·--- --- __ Pm\·c· r _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ __ ... . . __ •• _ _ _ _ _______ .. _ ... _ Flood eoi.trol (Pm·hlo Rt>~.) _ _ _ ---·· _ S1·11imr11t ronlrol (Pueblo He:-.) _____________ _

DE>nd >'t.<:rt111.o (Pud,lo He,,.) _ ·---· _ _

Culoro.do Furl & Iron C'orP---· --- ---

--Twin Lak(•:< Cu__ --- --- ---'T'ot11I , lcrr-f,ff 31 r,, (iOO 135, 000 93,000 !H,-!00 2, 000 27,000 110, 000 777,000

FRYINGPA;',-ARKAKSAS PROJECT, COLORADO

₁₃

49. 'I'ht' se_vcn power

plants

would

ho.vc

a tolnl

installcd

,·npaciLy

of

104,800

kilowatts

nnd nu

annual llY<'rUg<' output

of 505 million kilowall-hours of which 400 million kilo" u tt-ho11rs would h<' firm l'll('rgy. Losses would rcducc

tho

salabll• <'llergy

to

upproximo.tcly

4G7.2 million kilowatt-hours of which 370

million

kilo,\aU-bours would

b(• firm.

Associntccl

mnjor powPr

fn<'ilit

iPs include seYcn

swilch-ynrds with n. combined cnpncity of 1 lli,440

kihnolt-nmJh'n's

and

a.

trn,munission systC'm consisting

of

ahouL

400 miles of 115-kilovolt

lines with nine substations. The trnnsmission syst.<'rn would sNvc customers

of

tlw

Unit.eel Stnt(•s and would intorc·onncct with

oLher

utilities ancl enahk• th<' in !<>rehung(' and wlwcling of power from vu.rious

sources. Tlw

Color1Hlo

Fuel

&

Iron Corp. intC'rmittently prod11C'es wnstp-heat

eic<'tric

erwqiy

ns

o.

rC'sult

of

steel

mill OJ)Nntions

.

If

agrt•(•ments

eould be rendH•d, sud1 enrrgy rnigl1t hP frd inlo the projP<'L

systPrn on an t>xd1nnge basis or under somr otlw r ttrrn ngemen t wJwreby

more

+>fricienl

projt•ct, pOW('f operation would rf's11lt. Additional

gcnern I ion

in

the Elbert pow<.'r plont might accrut> (mm tlu• cxd1angc

of Twin Lakes watt'r involved in

the m0,intenance

of

fish flows in the

Roaring FMk River.

50.

The

Pueblo

UeserYoir would

inundate'

some

500 acres

of

irri-gntcci

land. All other Jnnds in th<' Eastern Slope reservoir sites aud for tho

cannl

s

arc cithrr low-value

private land

or public l1tnd.

'fhe en.skrn slope res<.>rvofrs would requirP the rdo<'ations

of ahout

20

miles of State hi~hwuy

n11d

20 milrs

of

rnilroad, but

no

unusually

difficult

construction

probh,ms have b<'come apparent. 'l'hc high

altitudp o.nd short working

sN1.son

pose som<.> problemR for t,he Sugar Loaf and

Twin

LalH'l:l t·nlargemcnts and associated faC"ilitiC's. The dam and

resnvoir

siLcs o.re situnted over glacial momines

which

may

result in sonw

seepage;

howeYcr,

tightness

beyond stability

is

not

nereg.c;a rT. •

51.

,\i1tnicipa1 water system

.-The project,

('Otrld pro,·i<i<•

supple-mentul

municipal water for C'olorado Springs

and

Pueblo.

Complete

rcplacem<'Ot

of

exist,ing

municipal supµli<

'

S ha

s bern requested

hy the

valley

towns

of :Mnnzanola, Horky Ford, Lo. Juntn, Las

Animas,

Lamnr,

Crowl<'.V, \Vil<'.\',

:rnd

l1J11cls

.

Tcntalivd.v,

15,000

acre-fe.•t of

project witl<'I' hnve het•n rPservl'd

nnnuoJly

for munici1ml use. 8p<'-cinc municipal i-upply fn<·ililies outlined

herPinafler iu

pnrngraphs

52

nnd

50

are in<'hHkd in

th<'

projecl

pln.n

ns a

rN]llt'sti>o

sPrvi<

'

C'

.

Such

conslmC'lion

is propo5ed onl.v if

construction

by the

<'Ommunitics

themseh·1•s provec; to be infonsible.

This

pl1mw

of the project is

flexibh•

nnd

suscC'ptiblc of mo<lifiC'ation

or

Pliminution, in whole

or in

part, without rendering

lhc

r<•rnuinder

of

the projt'cl economically

infeasible.

52. A supplcm(>ntal munieipnl supply for Colorado 8J>ring-s would

im·oh-e

an t•xchnn~e of irl'igution wnter b.Y mcnns of

projN·I

fuciliti<'fl.

A pumping plant on up1wr

l\1iddlc

Bra

,

-

er Crrek

would lift wt1ter to

the

city's

system

ou Pike's Peak. l<Jn route

to

thE> city, lit(• water

would /.;('twrnte <'IH'rgy in two municipol power p)nnts,

the

output.

of

which woulcl cxceP<l thr loss iu

the

SJrnguay hy1lrot'lectric power

plnnt

,

on :t\liddle

Il(•o.wr Cre,•k

,

owned

by

I

he Soutlwrn Colorndo

Pow1•r

Co. Colorado Springs eoulcl reimburse' the comptmy for

the

lost., powrr value. Replnccment of

the

d iwrtPd

water

for irrigation

use ncnr Penrose would

he>

uccomplislwd

by di\

·e1ting-

watpr

from Oil

Creek to thr

<'Xisting

Brush Hollow H.Psen-oir. A

diYersion

dam itnd 962:?0- n2-3