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Construction of the River Storage Under the a~thor~zing le~islation four great TH f CQ L Q R A O Q RI Vf R Project is well under way. Men and their giant earth water storage umts will be built, as well as many moving machines are working under full steam to "participating pr?jects" in Colorado, New Mexico, SJ Q RA G f pR Q J f CJ tame the mighty and its tributary Utah, and Wyommg. streams and to reshape the destiny of a vast basin Water and power from the project will provide in the arid west. opportunity for industrial expansion, agricultural Great strides have been made in building the development, growth of cities, and will create new four-state project since President Eisenhower in jobs for thousands of Americans. The project will 1956 pressed the golden telegraph key in Washing­ create new markets, stimulate trade, broaden the ton, D. C., that triggered the start of this huge tax base, and bolster national economy. reclamation development. The Colorado River Storage Project is a multi­ Appropriations by the Congress have enabled purpose development. Storage units will regulate construction to proceed - and at costs less than stream flows, create hydroelectric power, and make engineers' estimates. much-needed water available for agricultural, in­ Construction of Glen Canyon, Flaming Gorge and dustrial and municipal use. Flood control, recreation, Navajo Dams is going ahead swiftly. The Curecanti fish and wild life development have also been inte­ Storage Unit is expected to be under construction grated into the project. soon. Several important multi-purpose participating Some of the most rugged and beautiful scenery projects have been started. in the United States will be made accessible to the The Colorado River Storage Project is a phe­ average citizen when the projects are completed. nomenal undertaking. To the people of the West, it These areas, once trackless but beautiful wasteland, is a "dream come true," the end result of a half­ will provide recreational opportunity to Americans century of engineering research, planning and inter­ from every state. state negotiation. It means economic development The Project will aid national defense. It will pro­ for a remote river basin rich in natural resources, vide power and water necessary to develop minerals emerging into a new era. essential to the defense program and will create a To the people of the nation, the project means mountain stronghold vital to a secure America. a new land of opportunity, a new frontier in a vast Nature provided the resources. The Colorado area that constitutes one-twelfth of continental River Storage Project is developing them for the United States. It means the subduing of one of benefit of mankind. America's wildest and most savage rivers.

LEFT The small figure of a man is dwarfed by the huge diversion tunnel at Gum Canyon Dam shortly before the Colorado River was diverted through the portaf,S. An aerial photograph shows a wide angle view of Gum Canyon Dam under construction. Looking upstream, you can see water gushing from the diversion tunnel. THE COMMISSION ----- The Upper Colorado River Commission is an interstate administrative agency created under the terms of the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact executed at Santa Fe, New Mexico on October 11, 1948, and subsequently ratified by each of the legislatures of the states and by the Congress of the United States . The Com­ mission represents the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and and the Federal Government. The major purposes of the Upper Colo­ rado River Basin Compact are: (1) to provide for the equitable division of the ..,._ use of waters of the Colorado River System ~ among the Upper Basin states, namely, .-" Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming; (2) to establish obligations of each state with respect to the delivery of water to the Lower Basin; (3) to pro­ mote interstate harmony; (4) to remove causes of controversies; (5) to secure the expeditious agricultural and industrial development of the Upper Basin states, the storage of water, and the protection -·~·\·,.• , ...... of life and property from floods. ·-

MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION ARE:

ROBERT J . NEWELL , ·­·~...... Chairman and Commissioner for United States ..... \,.. 1" -~ EDWIN C. JOHNSON, Commis.io11er for Colorado -.- .... \,- JOHN H. BLISS, Commissioner for New Mexico ··F.'·-~. "'-- -~" ; GEORGE D. CLYDE, Commissioner for Utah -. ·-·' ~- .. EARL LLOYD, Conwuss,011er for Wyonung

• ..•. ";: ~len Canyon Dam i_s o~e of the worl?'s. engi- GL [ N CA N Y Q N OA M neermg marvels. Its design 1s somewhat s1m1lar to Hoover Dam, although it will be larger in bulk but smaller in height than its downstream sister. When is completed in 1964, long, narrow will extend 186 miles into the heart of a little-explored, rugged but beautiful southern Utah wilderness, creating one of the larg­ est man-made lakes in the world. Construction of Glen Canyon Dam was nearly one-third complete by the beginning of 1960. At that time $125,611,440 in contracts had been let for Glen Canyon Dam. The entire unit is expected to cost $364 million. Power revenues alone will return far more than the cost. Workmen successfully diverted the turbulent A feeling of strength and beauty is conveyed by the structural steel of waters of the Colorado River through two giant di­ the Colorado River Bridge as it spans the gaping jaws of the canyon. version tunnels in February, 1959. Excavation work on the dam abutments, spillways, and foundation A dynamite blast sends smoke and debris into the air as workmen excavate for the foundation of Glen Canyon Dam. was nearly complete by the beginning of 1960. This year will see the first concrete poured in the massive ~:' ,~ . . \ ?:'r.\t!:~" ~ . \ arch dam. The long and picturesque Colorado River bridge reached across the Colorado River and joined Utah and Arizona highways early in 1959. It was dedi­ cated and officially opened to traffic February 20, 1959. Construction of government facilities in Page, Arizona, were completed in 1959. Commercial and residential property in the damsite town will be sold to private individuals in 1960. After construction of the dam, Page promises to be the gateway to the Upper Basin, the gateway to scenic beauty, land of promise and opportunity. Workmen at Flaming Gorge drill and grout concrete in the diversion tunnel. A cabkway tower goes up on the right Fw.ming Gorge Dam will span the abutment at Fw.ming Green River in northeastern Utah, as shown Gorge Dam. in this aerial photograph and artist's drawing.

A huge dump truck pw.ces earth and rock in the coffer dam at Fw.ming Gorge.

·: I

Flaming Gorge Dam is being built on the Green River in northern Utah where in the dawn of western history rugged fur trappers held their famous rendezvous. A crystal mountain lake will lap the blazing gorges of the Uinta Mountains where buckskin-clad pioneers once plied their canoes, braved the dangerous rapids of the turbulent Green River and dodged the tomahawks of the Shoshoni and Blackfoot Indian. Famous mountain men such as Kit Carson, Jim Bridger, Gen. William Ashley and James Beckwourth were familiar participants in the annual Green River rendezvous and trading parties held at Henrys Fork, just upstream from the dam site. The nearby government town of Dutch John was named in honor of one of those legendary trappers. The concrete dam will rise nearly 500 feet out of bedrock to create the beautiful lake and second largest Storage Unit of the Colorado River Project. The dam also will provide revenue-producing hydroelectric power. A single diversion tunnel was drilled through 1,100 feet of solid sand­ stone to divert the waters of the Green River. Late in 1959 a rock and earth coffer dam changed the course of the river and water sloshed for the first time into the mouth of the gaping tunnel. Then workmen tackled the job of excavating the dam to bedrock. Pouring of the first concrete was expected by the summer of 1960. At the beginning of the year, Flaming-Gorge Dam was about 20 per cent complete with about three and one-half years left on the contract. Work progressed on schedule as the prime contractor, Arch Dam Con­ structors, continued excavation for dam abutments. A total of $35,889,402 in contracts had been let for Flaming Gorge Dam at the start of the new year. Total cost of the Unit is estimated at $73 million. , like Lake Powell, has tremendous recrea­ tion potential. Beautiful pine forests, suckled by mountain waters, border the reservoir area, all within easy access of two interstate highways. Concrete is placed in the huge stilling basin at .

Work on the outlet structure below the tunnel at Navajo Dam nears completion.

Nauajo Dam, the world's filth largest earthfill dam, is shown m this artist's conception. Navajo Dam will be among the largest earth-fill NA V A J O DA M dams in the world. Located in the noble setting of the proud Navajo Indian, this massive dam will rise nearly 40 stories ( 408 feet) out of the San Juan River, second largest tributary to the Colorado. Storage of water in the 35-mile-long reservoir will allow diversion of water to the Navajo Indian irrigation project, thereby bringing urgently needed moisture to 110,000 acres of dry, nonproductive land on the Navajo Indian Reservation. Expanded agriculture is needed on the reservation to feed an increasing Navajo population. The colorful history of the area goes back in time to the mysterious prehistoric Indians of the Mesa Verde and the early Spanish explorations of the Southwest. At the beginning of 1960, $23,561,178 in con­ tracts had been let for Navajo. The dam and reser­ voir are estimated to cost $43 million. In early 1960 the erratic flows of the San Juan River were diverted into two huge tunnels drilled through rock on the right abutment of the dam. At the start of the year, the prime contractor Men and machines place earth in the embankment at Navajo Dam. had completed more than one-third of the work on Navajo Dam in one-fourth of the contract time. Some 10,000,000 cubic yards of earth and rock have been dug from borrow pits and placed in the dam embankment. When it is completed in 1964, the 26,300,000 cubic yards of material in Navajo Dam will make it the fifth largest earth-fill dam in the world. Navajo Reservoir will store 1,709,000 acre-feet of water and will create vast recreational opportuni­ ties for Americans, in a setting rich in Indian lore and legend.

A series of two or three dams on a 40-mile can­ C·URECANTI UNIT yon section of the in Colorado has been determined as the most favorable plan of de­ velopment for the Curecanti Unit. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has completed an "Economic Justification Report" recommending construction of two dams downstream from Gun­ nison, Colorado and further investigation of a third dam. According to the report, Blue Mesa and Morrow Point Dams are economically justified as part of the Curecanti Unit. Detailed surveys and studies are being carried out in fiscal 1960 to determine the feasibility of , downstream from the other two. will cost $47,914,000 and Mor­ row Point, $24,536,000. Power transmission facilities for these two units of the Colorado River Project will cost about $10,000,000. Blue Mesa and Morrow Point Dams combined will generate 100,000 kilowatts of electricity, return from which will be sufficient to repay costs of these units and to provide additional funds for irrigation units. Blue Mesa will be an earth-fill dam and Mor­ row Point a concrete-arch dam. Excellent recreation opportunity will be created by the Curecanti Unit. Its reservoirs will provide unusual facilities for aquatic sports, such as boating, fishing, water skiing, and for related activities such as picnicking, camping, and lodging.

Blue Mesa Dam will rise out of the turbulent Gunnison River on the site shown here. PARTICIPATING PROJECTS: The main-stream dams- Glen Canyon, Flaming Gorge, Navajo and Curecanti-will control the river, provide storage reservoirs, and create power. The water will be put to use by smaller multi-purpose units, known as participating projects.

PAONIA

Work on the earth-fill on Muddy Creek, a tributary to the Gunnison River, in west central Colorado, will be completed in 1961. As 1960 got under way, work on this project was nearly 40 per cent complete. Work was started on Fire Mountain Canal which Paonia Dam will fill this gap on Muddy Creek in west central Cowrado. will distribute project water. Completion of this feature is scheduled for mid-1960. l-1/orkmen operate a portable rock crusher for aggregate to be used Paonia Project water will open 2,230 new acres in Paonia Dam. of land to cultivation and supply supplemental wa­ ter to 13,070 acres of inadequately irrigated land. Paonia Reservoir will store 21,000 acre-feet of water and supply a small lake suitable for recreational boating, fishing, picnicking, and camping. By the beginning of 1960 the Bureau of Recla­ mation had let $3,256,953 in contracts for Paonia. The completed unit is estimated to cost $7, 771,000.

Work on the spillway inlet at Paonia Dam is in a green mountain setting. SEEDSKADEEPROJECT Construction of along the Green River in southwest Wyoming will open up about 60,000 acres of much-needed farmland in that area. The project, authorized by the 84th Congress, will include construction of earth-fill and Reservoir on the Green River. Fontenelle will be used both for storage of water and as a means of diverting water from the river. Seedskadee will provide for the irrigation of 58, 775 acres of land on both sides of the Green River northwest of the town of Green River, Wyoming. Total cost of the project is estimated at $38,519,000. will store 285,000 acre-feet of water and will provide facilities for fishing, boat­ ing, camping, picnicking, and other recreational activities.

HAMMONDPROJECT Construction of the Main Canal of the Hammond Project in northwestern New Mexico will get under way in the spring of 1960. The U. S. Bureau of Rec­ Seedskadee Project will lamation has advertised for bids on the prime con­ create thousands of acres of farm I.and from unproductive tract. The project was authorized by the 84th I.and like this. Congress. Field engineering data for the Hammond Diver­ sion Dam and pumping plant is nearly complete. This contract is scheduled for award in fiscal 1961. About 3,200 acres of new land and 700 acres in need of additional supply will receive San Juan River water through the Hammond distribution system. Total cost of the project is estimated at $3,280,000. A repayment contract has been signed by the Hammond Conservancy District. VERNALUNIT, Construction of Stanaker Dam, part of the Ver­ nal Unit of the Central Utah Project, began in mid- 1959. By early 1960 some 25 per cent of this project had been completed. Stanaker Dam will be finished by January, 1961, and the entire Vernal Unit will be completed by 1963. The earth-fill structure is located off-stream from Ashley Creek and Dry Fork Creek just northwest of Vernal, Utah. Stanaker will supply supplemental irrigation water to 14,000 acres of land in Ashley Valley near Vernal. Supplemental municipal water will also be supplied to the towns of Vernal, Maeser, Men and machines place earth in the foundation for and Naples, Utah. Stanaker Reservoir will store Stanaller Dam. 37,560 acre-feet of water on an 840 acre surface. An artist's drawing on an aerial photograph shows Stanaker Dam, part of the Vernal Unit. The man-made lake will receive heavy recreational use because it is near the town of Vernal, a scenic point of interest on U. S. Highway 40. The reservoir will provide good fishing, boating, water skiing, pic­ nicking, and camping. By early 1960 the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation had let $1,674,967 in contracts on the Vernal Unit. The unit is expected to cost about $7,000,000. Future work includes construction of a feeder canal and the Ft. Thornburg diversion dam. When completed the Vernal Unit will also include a pipe system to carry domestic water within easy reach of some 300 rural farmers who in the past had to haul water by tank truck.

Project water will turn once arid soil into productive, SMITHFORK PROJECT fruitful land. The prime contract for construction of Crawford Dam will be awarded before the end of fiscal 1960. Crawford Dam is the key feature of the Smith Fork Project in Delta County, Colorado, near the town OTHER AUTHORIZED of Crawford. The project was authorized by the 84th Congress. PARTICIPATING PROJECTS: Total cost is estimated at $4,420,000. The Bureau of Reclamation is also working on CENTRALUTAH field engineering data for construction of the Smith Fork feeder canal, the Smith Fork diversion dam, The first unit of the Central Utah Project, the and the Aspen Canal. Vernal Unit, has been started, and the Bureau of A repayment contract is being worked out with Reclamation is working on a "plan formulation an­ the Crawford Conservancy District. Crawford Res­ alysis" for the remaining portion of the Central ervoir will store 13,650 acre-feet of water and will Utah Project. provide a lake suitable for all kinds of recreational A Definite Plan Report for the initial phase of activity, including boating, fishing, picnicking, and Central Utah Project is scheduled for completion camping. in fiscal 1963. Ultimately, the project will gather water from in fiscal 1961. This project includes construction of the Uinta Mountains and make it available to the Joes Valley Dam near the towns of Huntington, thickly populated Salt Lake Valley in Utah. The Castle Dale and Orangeville, Utah. Water from project includes hydroelectric power as well as dis­ Joes Valley Reservoir will provide supplemental ir­ tribution of irrigation, domestic, and industrial rigation water for 20,450 acres of land in that area water to the people of Utah. Ultimate development and a full supply for 3,630 acres. The project also is estimated to cost about $230 million. includes construction of Swasey Diversion Dam on Cottonwood Creek and the 17-mile Cottonwood­ SILT PROJECT Huntington Canal with laterals and drains. The Bureau of Reclamation is working on a Definite Plan Report, financial analysis, and designs LYMANPROJECT and estimates for the Silt Project between Rifle and A Definite Plan Report on the Lyman Project Elk Creeks in west-central Colorado. These are in southwestern Wyoming is scheduled for fiscal scheduled for completion in fiscal 1961. Included 1962. Current engineering studies call for construc­ will be Rifle Gap Reservoir, a pumping plant, a di­ tion of a dam on Willow Creek with feeder canals version dam, a feeder canal, rehabilitation of exist­ catching surplus water from Blacks Fork and its ing works, and construction of laterals and drains. tributary, West Fork of Smiths Fork. SevE:n and one-half miles of the channel below the reservoir FLORIDAPROJECT would be enlarged and three canals built to divert water. Existing canal systems would be improved At the beginning of 1960 the Bureau of Recla­ and extended and new drains built. Lyman Project mation was nearing completion of a Definite Plan would supply supplemental irrigation water to Report for the Florida Project southeast of Duran­ 40,600 acres of land along Blacks Fork of the Green go, Colorado, in the Florida River Valley and on River near Lyman, Wyoming. Florida Mesa. It includes construction of on the Florida River, enlargement of the LABARGEPROJECT Florida Farmers Ditch, and construction of a new diversion dam. Some 6,300 new acres of farmland Planning is also continuing on the LaBarge Pro­ will be opened up by the project and 12,650 acres ject in the Green River Basin in Lincoln and Sub­ of inadequately irrigated land will receive supple­ lette Counties, Wyoming. As presently planned, mental water supplies. LaBarge Project will divert water from the Green Lemon Reservoir will store 40,300 acre-feet of River for the irrigation of 7,970 acres of arable dry water and will provide a lake suitable for excellent lands. The diverted water would be carried in a 39- fishing, boating and other related recreational fa­ mile canal to serve the project area between South cilities. Piney Creek and LaBarge Creek on the west side of the Green River. EMERYCOUNTY PROJECT

A Definite Plan Report on Emery County Pro­ ject in east-central Utah is scheduled for completion Crops will flourish on /,ands that will receive project water.

Power is needed for rapidly expanding industries in the Upper Basin.

The project will produce much-needed hydro­ electric power. FUTURE AUTHORIZEDSTORAGE UNITS AND PARTICIPATING PROJECTS PARTICIPATING PROJECTS: In addition to the Participating (\ Projects already mentioned, there are many other potential projects in the four-state area given EXPLANATION priority for completion of planning LABARGE reports. Included among these are: STORAGE WYOMING UNITS

COLORADO PARTICIPATING PROJECTS Savery-Pot Hook Project** Bostwick Park Project Dallas Creek Project UTAH San Miguel Project Juniper Project Fruitland Mesa Project CENTRA L UTAH Animas-LaPlata Project West Divide Project

NEWMEXICO OLORADO San Juan-Chama Project* Navajo Indian Irrigation Project* CURECANTI

UTAH Gooseberry Project

WYOMING

Savery-Pot Hook Project** HAMMOND Sublette Project (Buckskin Division)

*Feasibility report has been completed and ARIZONA NEWMEXICO authorizing legislation introduced in the Congress. The Senate has passed its bill and hearings are pending in the House of Representatives Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. **Feasibility report has been completed . Transmittal to Congress is awaiting com­ ments by affected states. THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER COMMISSION 366 South Fifth East Salt Lake City, Utah