The River Storage Proiect

and participating proiects

Artist's conception of

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation, W. A. Dexheimer, Commissioner FOREWORD

The storage project was author­ drains a part of New ~Icxico and through ized by the Congress in legislation which was the San Juan River. igned into law by President Eisenhower on The area contains a scarcely tapped potential of April 11, 1956. agricultural, industrial, and recreational assets. It This law (P. L. 485, 84th Cong.) provides for the contains tremendous quantities of uranium, coal, development of the water resources of the pper and other minerals. Realization of the potential in Colorado River Basin, an area which has been economic growth and contribution to the national described as the "last water-hole" of the West. welfare is dependent on maximum utilization of The Upper Colorado River Basin, covering parts of , , Colorado, , and limited water supplies. The Colorado River stor­ Arizona, is an area of approximately 110,000 square age project is planned to conserve the very limited miles between the high crests of the Rocky ?\foun­ precipitation which falls principally in the form of tains in Colorado and Wyoming, and the Wasatch snow in the high mountains and utilize it for ~fountain spur in Utah. The southern portion municipal, industrial and agricultural growth.

385481-56 HISTORY

The need for the Colorado River storage project In prolonged dry periods there is not enough was envisioned by the of water to permit the Upper Basin to consume its 1922. In dividing Colorado River wa(,er between allotment under the 1922 compact and at the the Upper and Lower Colorado River Basins, the same time make the required deliveries to the compact permits the Upper Basin to consume 7~ Lower Basin. In wetter periods, however, flows million acre-feet of water each year. However, are more than sufficient for these purposes. this allocation is contingent upon the Upper Large storage reservoirs thus are needed to be Basin delivering to the Lower Basin not less than filled when flows are high and to provide addi­ 75 million acre-feet of water in any period of 10 tional water when needed for compact fulfillment. consecutive years and to deliver additional water Favorable opportunities for such reservoirs are for use in ).fexico under certain circumstances. provided by the deep canyons of the Colorado The dividing point between the two basins is at River and its principal tributaries in the pper Lee Ferry near the northern border of Arizona. Basin. Water allocated to the Upper Basin was further A plan for the Colorado River storage project, apportioned to the individual Stat,es of Arizona, including a series of and reservoirs to provide Colorado, New 1Iexico, Utah, and ·wyoming by storage capacity in combination with power devel­ the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact of 1948. opments and other services, was presented in a This compact also creat,ed the Upper Colorado Bureau of Reclamation report in 1950, which was River Commission, consisting of representatives subsequently printed as H. Doc. No. 364, 83d of the Federal Government and each compacting Congress, 2d session. The plan had been formu­ State except Arizona. lated in cooperation with other Federal agencies The flow of the Colorado River is extremely and with the Upper Colorado River Commission. erratic, varying from 4 million to 22 million acre­ _-\..n initial group of "participating projects" feet annually at Lee Ferry. There is a (,cndency that would develop water for irrigation and other for the high years and the low years to be grouped, purposes in the Upper Basin and that would be thus accentuating problems of river regulation and linked financially with the storage project was use. also presented in the 1950 report.

PROJECT AUTHORIZATION

Construction of four s(,orage units of the Colo­ Xavajo Unit on the San Juan River in Xew Mexico rado River storage project and 11 participating and Colorado (dam and reservoir only). projects was authorized by the act of April 11, Curecanti Unit 0 1J. the in Colorado 1956 (P. L. 485, 84th Cong.). Authorized devel­ (subject to further engineering and economic opments are listed below. investigations and to a limitation on the height of the principal dam of the unit). TORAGE PROJECT UXITS Glen Canyon Unit on the Colorado River i•J. PAR3.'ICIPATIKG PROJEC'l'S Arizona and Utah. Central Utah (initial phase), Utah. Flaming Gorge Unit on the Green River in Utah Emery County, Utah. and 11yoming. Florida, Colorado. 2 Hammond, X ew ~Iexico however, to interfere with or preclude considera­ La Barge, 'VVyoming. tion and authorization of other additional projects Lyman, Wyoming. in the comprehensive plan of development. Paonia, Colon1do (works additional to existing N" one of the authorized dams or reservoirs will project). be constructed within any national park or monu­ Pine River Extension, Colorado and X ew ~Iexico. ment. Appropriations, not to exceed $760,000,000, Seedskadee, Wyoming. ,Yere authorized to carry out the purposes of the Silt, Colorado. act. This is the largest expenditure ever author­ Smith Fork, Colorado. ized for a Reclamation development at one time. In the investigations of additional develop­ The Eden project in 'Wyoming, which is now ments in the pper Basin, twenty-five additional largely constructed, would, by terms of its author­ potential participating projects are to receive izing act of June 28, 1949, become financially priority consideration in ttie completion of plan­ related to the Colorado River storage project ning reports. It is not the intent of Congress, as a participating project.

CONSTRUCTION FEATURES

Storage project un its During construction, the river will be diverted through two concrete tunnels, each of which will The four authorized storage units will provide be about 45 feet in diameter. One will be located about 32,000,000 acre-feet of reservoir capacity and on each side of the canyon. The lower portion about 1,100,000 kilowatt of installed generating of each tunnel will serve as a spillway tunnd capacity. About 80 percent of both capacities will when the darn is completed. be provided by the Glen Canyon Unit alone. The powerplant to be constructed at the toe of When completed, will be the the dam will house seven generating units having fourth highest darn in the world, and second in a total installed capacity of 800,000 kilowatts. height only to Hoover Darn in the . ~Ieasures will be taken to protect the Rainbow The units arc described below. :Modifications in Bridge national monument at the upper reaches some of the designs may result from the definite of the reservoir. plan studies that will precede construction. Glen Canyon Unit Flaming Gorge Unit Glen Canyon Darn will be on the Colorado The dam for the Flaming Gorge Unit will be River in northern Arizona, about 13 miles down­ aL the Ashley site on Lhe Green River, a major stream from the Utah-Arizona State line and 16 tributary of the Colorado, in northeastern tah miles upstream from Lee Ferry, the dividing point about 6 miles south and 20 miles west of the corner between the Lower and Upper Basins. It is the common to -tah, \Vyoming, and Colorado. A only one of the authorized darns that will be on the concrete arch dam rising about 495 feet above the Colorado River proper. foundation and about 450 feet above the river Glen Canyon Dam is planned as a concrete arch will be constructed. The reservoir will have a structure that will extend about 700 feet above its c!1pacity of about 4,400,000 acre-feet and an area foundation. It will have a crest length of 1,400 of about 44,000 acres. lt will extend upstream feet. When the 26,000,000 acre-foot reservoir is 94 miles, nearly to the town of Green River, full, the water surface area will cover about 153,000 Wyo. About 1,000,000 acre-feet of the reservoir acres and will extend 186 miles up the Colorado capacity will be below the outlet level. River, or nearly to the mouth of the Green River, A powerplant at the Flaming Gorge Darn will and 71 miles upstream on the San Juan River. have an installed capacity of 85,000 kilo"'atts. About 6,000,000 acre-feet of the reservoir capacity will be below the outlet level. This "inactive" ca­ Ourecanfi l "nit pacity will be useful for sediment accumulation, to The CurccanLi Unit will develop storage and protect fish, and to increase the power head at power possibilities along part or all of a 35-rnilc the dam. stretch of a deep canyon section of the Gunnison 3 River above the Black Canyon and below thl:' to,Yn acre-feet over a 100-year period, most of the of Gunnison, Colo. sediment being deposited in the inactive section In order to prevenL the inundation of propert.,T of the reservoir. The reservoir, when full, will near Lhe to\\'n, the authorizing legislation providPs inundate 13,500 acres and will extend approxi­ that "* * * the Curecanti Dam shall be con­ mately 35 miles up the San Juan River. No structed to a height which will impound not less powerplant is planned for the Navajo Unit. than 940,000 acre-feet of water or will create a reservoir of such greater capacity as can be ob­ Participating Projects tained by a high waterline located at 7,520 feeL above mean sea level * * *." The act also The eleven participating projects authorized requires that construction shall not be undertaken by Public Law 485 plus the Eden project will be until further engineering and economic investiga­ assisted financially by the storage project. Par­ tions have been made and until the Secretary ticipating projects are those which will consume of the Interior has certified to the Congress and water of the Upper Colorado River system for the President that in his judgment the benefits of irrigation and other purposes and will require re­ the unit will exceed its costs. payment assistance on irrigation costs from power Bureau of Reclamation reconnaissance studies revenues of the storage project. indicate that a favorable plan, consistent with the These participating projects will provide water authorizing act, would include a series of three to irrigate over 130,000 acres of presently dry or four dams, reservoirs, and powerplants along land and supply water to about 230,000 acres of the 35-mile river section. Collectively these land presently irrigated. powerplants, with an installed generating capacity of about 152,000 kilowatts, would develop about Central Utah 970 feet of static power head in this section of The (initial phase) will of the river. be constructed in east-central Utah and in the The Curecanti Reservoir, uppermost of the Uinta River Basin, a tributary of the Colorado in series, would be formed by the Blue :Mesa Dam, northeastern Utah. This multiple-purpose project located 30 miles downstream from Gunnison. A will provide irrigation water to about 28,540 acres dam 350 feet high above its foundation would of new land, a supplemental supply for about create a reservoir with a capacity of about 940,000 138,210 acres, and furnish about 49,000 acre-feet acre-feet at a high water elevation of 7 ,520 feet. of municipal water. The reservoir would provide the principal seasonal Principal features of construction are Strawberry river regulation for a powerplant at the Blue Mesa aqueduct, enlargement by Dam and for powerplants at other dams in the construction of Soldier Creek Dam, four power­ 15-mile section of the river below the Blue :Mesa plants with combined installed capacity of 61,000 site. kilowatts, and other regulating reservoirs, aque­ Investigation and planning of the Curecanti ducts, canals, and distribution systems. The Unit will continue in more detailed scope as re­ initial phase of the comprehensive development of quired by the act. this project will also provide some flood control, .. recreation and forest resource development. Navajo Unit An earth-filled dam will be constructed on the Emery County San Juan River in New Mexico, about 34 miles The Emery County project is in the headwaters east of Farmington. The dam will rise about 370 of the San Rafael River in east central Utah. Its feet above its foundation and extend about 6,100 construction will primarily improve irrigation feet in length at its crest. It will create the Navajo water supply for 20,450 acres of irrigated land, Reservoir with a total capacity of 1,450,000 acre­ supply water for about 3,630 acres of new land, feet, of which about 780,000 acre-feet will be and provide for recreation opportunities. The active or available for stream regulation. Sedi­ Joes Valley Dam and Reservoir with total capacity ment accumulation in the reservoir will be fairly of 57 ,000 acre-feet, a diversion dam, canal, laterals heavy and is expected to amount to about 330,000 and drains, are the principal features of the project.

4 Florida 1,160 acres more of arable land. Fish and wildlife In souLhwcstern Colorado on Lhe Florida River, values in the area will be enhanced and flood development of the Florida projecL will include damages will be decreased. Project construction construction of Lhe Lemon Reservoir to a capacity includes Spring Creek Reservoir, canal enlarge­ of over 23,000 acre-feet, a diversion dam and ments and extensions. enlargement of an existing canal, and a distribu­ Pine River Extension tion system. These works will provide supple­ mental water to abouL 12,650 acres and full supply Extension of the existing Pine River project in to abouL 6,300 acres of land. Operation of the southwestern Colorado and northwestern New projecL will also provide flood control and some ~1exico on Pine River about 20 miles east of enhancement in fish and wildlife values in tho Durango, Colo., will provide water for irrigation area. of about 15,150 acres of arable land, of which about 1,940 acres are within the Pine River Indian Hammond irrigation project. Project extension will involve The Hammond projocL in norLhwestern New enlargement and extension of eight major canals ~Iexico will divert San Juan River waters for and ditches diverting from Pine River, a new irrigation of about 3,670 acres of arable land along diversion dam, and several small distribution the rivers in the viciniLy of Farmington and laterals. Bloomfield. Principal features of this single­ Seedskadee purpose development are a diversion dam, main canal, pumping plant, lateral and drainage The Seedskadee project will be constructed in systems. southwestern Wyoming along tho Green River below the authorized LaBarge project, Principal LaBarge works will include a diversion dam on the river, Diverting water direcLly from the Green River, conveyance canals, pumps, and distribution later­ the LaBarge project in southwestern Wyoming als. Such work will provide an irrigation water will provide irrigation water for about 7,970 acres supply for about 60,720 acres of arable land. of desert land extending 40 miles along the river above LaBarge. Project works , ill include a Sill diversion dam, conveyance canal, distribution An improved water supply for over 5,400 acres laterals and drains. of partially irrigated land and a full supply for about 2,270 acres of new land will be provided by Lyman construction of the Silt project between Rifle and The Lyman project in southwosLern Wyoming Elk Creeks in west-central Colorado. Construc­ along Black's Fork of the Green River near tho tion features include the Rifle Gap Reservoir of Wyoming-Utah boundary will supplemonL an 10,000 acre-feet capacity, a pumping plant, diver­ irrigation water supply for about 40,600 acres of sion dam and feeder canal, rehabilitation of exist­ land having only a partial supply. Bridger ing works, and construction of laterals and drains. Reservoir will be constructed with 43,000 acre-feet total capacity on Willow Creek and other features Smith Fork will include feeder canals to the reservoir, drainage The Smith Fork project will be constructed in and improvements to the existing irrigation west-central Colorado along the Smith Fork of system. Gunnison River near Crawford. A supplemental water supply for more than 8,160 acres of partially Paonia irrigated land and a full irrigation supply for more The existing authorized Paonia project on the than 2,270 acres of new land will be provided by X orth Fork of Gunnison River in westcentral the project. Construction features include the Colorado would be extended by this reauthoriza­ Crawford Reservoir with 14,000 acre-feet capac­ Lion. Irrigation water supply will thus be im­ ity, diversion dam, feeder canals and laterals. proved for an additional 4,380 acres of irrigated Recreation opportunities will also be provided by land and a full water supply provided for about the project.

5 PRIORITY PLANNING

In carrying out fur'Lher investigations of proj­ ).lesa, Tomichi Creek, East River, Ohio Creek, ects in the Upper Colorado River Basin tho Fruitland 1Iesa, Bostwick Park, Grand Mesa, and Secretary of the Interior is directed to give Dallas Creek, Dolores, Fruitgrowers Extension, priority to completion of reports on the following and Yellow Jacket, in Colorado; Savery-Pot Hook, participating projects: Gooseberr.\·, Utah; San Colorado and Wyoming; Animas-LaPlata, Colo­ Juan-Chama and Javajo, Kew Mexico; Parshall, rado and New Mexico; and Sublette, Wyoming. Troublesome, Rabbit Ear, Eagle Divide, San Concurrently, priority will be given to completion ).figuel, West Divide, Bluestonc, Battlement of the report on the Juniper project in Colorado.

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6 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1956 UNITED STATES OEPAFH ME N T or THE INTERIOR BUR EAU OF RECLA MATION REGION 4 COLORADO RIVER STORAGE PROJECT AND PARTICIPATING PROJECTS

APRIL 195~ I

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21,ovo

~ * SMITH FORK

LEG EN D

-4flllllilitt STORAGE UNITS (AUTHORIZED)

-1¥ PARTICIPATING PROJECTS (AUTHORIZED)