lhe Colorado River Storage Project

AS AUTHORIZED BY PUBLIC LAW 485 84th CONGRESS

Published by UPPER COLORADO RIVER COMMISSION 748 North Avenue Grand Junction, Colorado History

In 1922 the Colorado River Compact was negotiated among the seven states served by the Colorado River. This compact pro­ vides for division of river water between the Upper and Lower basins, with each basin granted 7Y2 million acre-feet each year. Upper Basin States are Colorado, New Mex­ ico, Utah and Wyoming. Lower Basin States are Arizona, Nevada and California. (A small portion of Arizona is in the Upper Basin, and small areas within two Upper Basin states-Utah and New Mexico-are in the Lower Basin.) The Project In 1948 a compact dividing the water The Colorado River Storage Project, as allocated to the Upper Basin States was authorized by Public Law 485, 84th Congress, negotiated by these states. This compact is a multi-purpose reclamation project pro­ also created the Upper Colorado River Com­ viding for four large main-stream dams mission consisting of representatives of the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and known as " storage units" and eleven irri­ Wyoming and the Federal Government. gation projects known as " participating Plans for the upper basin Colorado River projects." Storage Project were completed in 1950. The project provides for far-reaching On April 20, 1955, the United States Senate benefits, including flood contra~, regulation approved a bill authorizing construction. of the Colorado River, production of power, On March l, 1956, the United States House recreational developments and water for of Representatives approved a similar bill. use on land and in communities. Con­ And on April 11, 1956, the legislation was gress authorized an appropriation not signed into law by President Eisenhower. to exceed $760 million for the proj­ ect. It will be constructed under the direction of the United States Bur­ eau of Reclamation. The Federal Main Stream Dams Government will loan the orig­ inal costs of the project. Ap­ The four main-stream storage dams pro­ proximately 99 per cent of vide the river regulation and the water total costs will be repaid by storage necessary for the functioning of the those who benefit from the project. These four dams include the Glen water and power. Canyon Dam located on the Colorado River in no.rthern Arizona; the Navajo Dam lo­ cated on the San Juan River in northwestern New Mexico; the Flaming Gorge Dam lo­ cated on the Green River in northeastern Utah; and the Curecanti unit located on the nnison River in western Colorado. All of se units, with the exception of the Navajo m, create hydroelectric power which is eded by the area for industrial and com­ unity expansion. Sale of power will pro­ ce revenue which will help repay costs the over-all project.

FLAMING GORGE DAM

This dam will rise 450 feet above the river and will be 1100 feet long. The reservoir will have a storage capacity of approximately four-million acre-feet of water and will ex­ tend 91 miles up the Green River. The dam LEN CANYON DAM will have an installed power capacity of ap­ proximately 85,000 kilowatts and will pro­ This dam will rise 580 feet above the river duce salable power of approximately 400,- nd will be 1400 feet in length. The reservoir 000,000 kilowatt hours each year. twill form will have a capacity of 26 million ere-feet of water and will extend 186 miles p the Colorado River and 71 miles up the an Juan River. Its installed generating ca­ CURECANTI UNIT acity will be approximately 800,000 kilo­ atts, with an average power output of Construction on this unit in western Colo­ rado will not be commenced until further bout 4 billion kilowatt hours each year. engineering and economic studies have been made. Preliminary studies show that a favor­ NAVAJO DAM able plan would include a series of several dams, reservoirs, and power plants along a According to information presented dur­ 35-mile river section. These power plants ing Congressional hearings, this was planned would have an installed generating capacity as an earth-fill dam that will be 370 feet of about 152,000 kilowatts. The Curecanti above the river and extend 3,750 feet in Reservoir, the farthest upstream of the series, length. The reservoir capacity was estimated would be formed by Blue Mesa Dam, which at 1,450,000 acre-feet of water. Additional would be about 350 feet high and would studies and investigations by the Bureau of create a reservoir with a storage capacity Reclamation are now in progress. of about 940,000 acre-feet. Participating Projects

The Colorado River Storage Project in­ Lyman Project, southwestern Wyoming. On cludes 11 participating projects or irrigation Black's Fork of Green River and West divisions which put the water to use on the Fork of Smith Fork. Acres to be irrigated: land or in communities. An additional group New land, none; supplemental, 40,600. of participating projects has been given pri­ UTAH ority for additional planning as part of the Emery County Project, east-central Utah. over-all four-state development. The auth­ On Cottonwood Creek. Acres to be irri­ orized participating projects listed by states gated: New land, 3,630; supplemental, and showing the estimated cost follow: 20,450. Central Utah Project, eastern and central COLORADO Utah. Includes enlargement of Straw­ Smith Fork Project, Delta County, Colorado. berry Reservoir, construction of four Along Smith Fork of Gunnison River. power plants, 36.8 miles of aqueducts Acres to be irrigated: New land, 2,270; and other units. Acres to be irrigated: supplemental, 8, 160. New land, 28,540; supplemental, 131,- 840. Paonia Project, west-central Colorado. North Fork of Gunnison River. Acres to NEW MEXICO be irrigated: New land, 2,21 O; supple­ Hammond Project, northwestern New Mex­ mental, 14,830. ico. On San Juan River. Acres to be irri­ Florida Project, southwestern Colorado. On gated: New land, 3,670; supplemental, Florida River. Acres to be irrigated: New none. land, 6,300; supplemental, 12,650. Pine River Extension, serving Colorado Pine River Extension Project, near Duran­ and New Mexico. (See Colorado proj­ go, Colorado. On Pine River, serving ects.) both Colorado and New Mexico. Acres Navajo Project, northwestern New Mexico. to be irrigated: New land, 15, 150; sup­ On San Juan River. Th is prnject has been plemental, none. given priority for future planning. Silt Project, Garfield County, Colorado. On San Juan-Chama Project, south-central Rifle Creek. Acres to be irrigated: New Colorado and northern New Mexico. land, 1,900; supplemental, 5,400. This project also has been given priority WYOMING for future planning. -- -- .: ..... =-_- ~ LaBarge, southwestern Wyoming. On Green River. Acres to be irrigated: New land, 7,970; supplemental, none. Seedskadee, southwestern Wyoming. On Green River. Acres to be irrigated: New land, 60,720; supplemental, None. BENEFITS For All WATER-The project will provide water for production of special agricultural crops, row crops and food products not in surplus. A total of 132,360 acres of new land will receive water. In addition, 234,000 acres of land already under cultivation will receive supplemental water.

POWER-More than l million kilowatts will be added to Upper Basin power capa­ city, a fivefold increase.

NATIONAL DEFENSE-The project will aid the national defense by creating a mountain stronghold important to defense and by providing the water and power nec­ essary to develop minerals essential to the defense program.

NEW MARKETS-The project will pro­ vide new buying power and new markets for goods produced in other parts of the country.

RECREATIONAL BENEFITS - The project will greatly add to existing recrea­ tional facilities, creating new reservoirs for fishing and boating; new clear-water moun­ tain fisheries, new camping facilities, access to new scenic areas, protection of the Rain­ bow Bridge National Monument, and ac­ cessibility to that natural wonder.

NATURAL RESOURCES-The project will provide the water and power neces­ sary for full development of the area's rich mineral resources, including uranium, cop­ per, coal, iron, oil, lead and zinc, gilsonite, phosphates, and many other natural re­ sources.

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UPPER COLORADO RIVER :BASIN

COLORADO RIVER STORAGE PROJECT AND PARTICIPATING PROJECTS t UPPER COLORADO RIVER COMMISSION Puh/i, Law 485".J 84-tl, Con9re.ss

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- IRRIGATED' LAND - IRRIGATED. LAND, TO BE D SUPPLEMENTAL WATER NTA FE - NEW LAN 0 ~ INITIAL STORAGE UNITS ~ ULTIMATEt. TORAGE UNITS ~ EXISTING ESERVOIRS AND LAKES SCAr 25 F3 F3 o 25 spMiles @ INITIAL P (TICIPATING PROJECTS 1 Q OTHER P~RTICIPATING PROJECTS