I AGENDA ITEM :ff:2b (

REPORT BY THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION, REGION 4, TO THE WATER CONSERVATION BOARD

July 1, 1965

Construction

At , work under the completion contract is about 95 percent completed. Four of the eight generating units are completed and producing power, with the fifth unit scheduled to go on the line sometime in July.

The permanent Visitor Center complex at Glen Canyon Dam will soon be under construction. The Bureau of Reclamation has awarded a contract to Allen M. Campbell co. of Tyler, Texas, to build the center.

In a huge fish dropping operation which took place during mid­ May, about 4 million rainbow trout were planted in . The trout were airlifted from national hatcheries to the lake by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, bringing the total number of trout planted in Lake Powell to about 12.5 million. ~ At , CURECANTI UNIT, a major portion of the work is being concentrated on concrete placement in the powerplant structure and the outlet works stilling basin, and in placing earth­ fill and rockfill in the dam embankment. With nearly 85 percent of the work finished, it is expected that the prime contract will be completed early next spring. Initial filling of the reservoir is scheduled to begin this fall. ( -- 'YI Construction at is one-fourth complete. The contractor is excavating below the streambed for the dam foundation and stilling basin as well as in the powerplant chamber, tailraces, and both keyways. other work includes scaling operations and in­ stallation of rock bolts in the canyon walls throughout the con­ struction area; drilling a number of tunnels; work on the crest access road; and erection of batch plant equipment.

Crystal Dam, third of the three major dams of the Curecanti Unit, moved into the construction stage with award of a $936,000 contract for construction of an access road leading to the damsite. Award of the prime contract for the dam is scheduled for next spring. The contractor for construction of Rifle Gap Darn of the SILT PROJECT is making good progress. Principal activities involve excavation for the darn embankment foundation, the spillway struc­ ture, in the Rifle Creek borrow area, and a portion of the relocated State highway; placement of darn embankment; and placement of con­ crete in the diversion tunnel invert. The contract is 25 percent completed.

Work is underway on the Silt Pump Canal and the Davie Ditch. Invitations have been issued to prospective contractors to bid on construction of the Silt Pumping Plant, with opening date set for August 10. The pumping plant will have a lift of 210 feet and will be constructed at the end of a 4,000-foot-long inlet canal from the , about two miles east of the town of Silt. The 8.1- rnile-long silt Pump Canal will extend northwest from the pumping plant, conveying irrigation water to lands on the lower portion of Harvey Mesa.

CRSP Reservoirs

Four units have continued power production at Glen Canyon Darn with generation limited generally by available loads and trans­ mission facilities. A fifth unit is scheduled for commercial service about the middle of July. Heavy bypass of water through the outlet works and left diversion tunnel was continued into late June to raise Lake Mead to the rated head level of 1,123 feet mean sea level. This was accomplished on June 23 with Lake Powell ris­ ing to 3,502.5 feet on the same date. Releases at Glen canyon have been reduced to the powerplant capacity, and Lake Powell is now expected to rise during the summer to about elevation 3,530 feet (content 8,444,000 acre-feet)--the highest in the short history of the lake.

Specifications have been issued for construction beginning in September 1965 of a plug for the left diversion tunnel. This will result in a permanent entrapment of about 2 million acre-feet below the minimum operating level of the four 96-inch hollow jet valves (elevation 3,370 feet), which is about 120 feet lower than the mini­ mum operating level of the powerplant.

The June 1 forecast for the April-July runoff remained at 11,000,000 acre-feet, and heavy precipitation throughout June in the Upper Basin enhances the prospects that the total forecasted runoff will materialize. Approximately 8.8 million acre-feet was recorded in the April-June period, leaving about 2.2 million acre­ feet runoff in July needed to realize the 11 million acre-foot forecast. has risen rapidly from its April 26 low elevation of 5,909 feet (583,000 acre-feet). On June 30 the elevation was 5,962 feet with a content of 1,414,000 acre-feet. The lake should continue to rise slowly through next winter. The rapid increase has been caused by very high runoff, including heavy flooding from rain storms in the Uinta Mountains, and a reduction in power releases beginning May 1. The reduction in power produc­ tion resulted from the transfer of some Flaming Gorge loads to Glen Canyon. Heavy water releases at Glen Canyon and a transmis­ sion tie from Glen Canyon north have made it possible for Glen Canyon to assume this added load.

Fontenelle Reservoir filled to normal water surface of 6,506 feet for the first time on June 15 and reached a peak elevation of 6,511 feet on June 28 with five feet of surcharge.

Substantial flow on the San Juan River will raise Navajo Reser­ voir to approximately elevation 6,000 feet m.s.l. in early July. The reservoir will then be dra\m back to elevation 5, 955 feet to permit resumption of work on the diversion tunnel for the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project.

General Investigations

Feasibility Investigations

The ANIMAS-LA PLATA PROJECT feasibility report was transmitted to the Bureau of the Budget on April 10, 1964, to obtain views of that agency relative to submittal of the report to congress.

The DOLORES PROJECT feasibility report was adopted by the Secretary on October 2, 1964, and sent to State and Federal agencies for formal review under the Flood Control Act of 1944. The Secre­ tary has received comments from all reviewers except Wyoming.

A meeting was held in Cortez, Colorado, on June 28, 1965, with the Ute Mountain Tribal Council concerning Indian participation in the Dolores and Animas-La Plata Projects. The Tribal council appeared to be interested in participating in the project. However, we are at present awaiting receipt of a formal decision from the Council following the meeting.

The proposed feasibility report for the DALLAS CREEK PROJECT was completed and submitted to the Commissioner and Chief Engineer for review on April 22, 1965. The report has been distributed to Federal, State, and local agencies for informal review.

3 On the WEST DIVIDE PROJECT, feasibility designs and estimates are being completed on remaining project features. Work is continu­ ing on appendices for proposed feasibility report. The report is scheduled to be completed by the end of this calendar year.

Preparation of feasibility designs and estimates on the SAN MIGUEL PROJECT is nearing completion. The San Miguel Water Conser­ vancy District has requested the Bureau to revise the project plan to develop municipal and irrigation water at Saltado Reservoir instead of Miramonte . Their position is that the reservoir is not adapted to multiple use, that it will be many years before municipal and industrial water is needed, and the Colorado Department of Game, Fish, and Parks has money available to start work on Miramonte Reservoir. The report is scheduled to be completed in the fall of this year.

Preparation of design data, plan formulation studies, water supply studies, and agricultural economic studies are in progress on the BATTLEMENT MESA PROJECT. A supplemental analysis of lands in the upper Buzzard Creek area has been completed indicating that approximately 1,800 acres of Class 4 lands can be reclassified to Class 3 which will qualify these lands for service by the project. A proposed feasibility report is scheduled for completion in F. Y. 1966.

Plan formulation studies, water supply studies, and agricul­ tural economy studies are in progress on the BLUESTONE PROJECT. A proposed feasibility report is scheduled for completion in F. Y . 1967 .

On the UPPER GUNNISON PROJECT collection of agricultural, economic, and irrigation data is in progress on representative farms selected for evaluation in determining the scope of the feasi­ bility studies to be undertaken.

Tabulation of land classification data for the GRAND MESA PROJ­ ECT has been completed. We have undertaken plan formulation studies and are continuing studies on water exchanges and other involved water supply studies . The proposed report is scheduled for comple­ tion in F. Y. 1968.

Feasibility investigations on the modified plan for YELLOW JACKET PROJECT, as discussed in our previous report to the Board, is progressing satisfactorily. Preparation of design data, geologic investigations, and preparation of project lands and drainage appen­ dices are in progress . Cooperative plans for the project have been discussed with the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and l 1Tildlife.

4 Advance Planning

On the FRUITLAND MESA PROJECT, negotiations for aerial topo­ graphic maps of the project area have been completed with I-1ichael Baker, Jr., Inc . , Jackson, n ississippi. Advance planning studies · are under way on the BOSTWICK PARK PROJECT . Advance planning studies are scheduled to be initiated on the SAVERY-POT HOOI< PROJECT in F. Y. 1966 if funds become available.

Small Reclamation Projects Program

The ORCHZ\RD CITY IRRIGATION DISTRICT PROJECT is essentially completed.

On the RANGELY PROJECT, land classification performed by the Bureau under contract with the Colorado River l·Tater Conservation District has been completed . Results of the studies and maps have been forwarded to the District.

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