A
Picture's Worth a Thousand Words
We have all heard the
coined phrase, "a picture's worth a thousand words." Review the graph below, in
conjunction with the text, for a `picture' of the water situation in the SJWCD
service area. The graph illustrates the necessity for additional water storage,
and why the District and the Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District (PAWSD)
have been working hard to meet these needs.
As illustrated in the graph above, the current water
storage capacity in the PAWSD is 2,900 acre-feet (AF) or 4,000 AF when the
Stevens dam enlargement is complete. To meet the water needs of area residents,
studies indicate that a total of about 12,000 AF of storage capacity will be
necessary by 2043. The Dry Gulch reservoir
site has a total potential storage capacity of
35,000 AF. The reservoir could be constructed in two phases, depending on the
economic conditions and water demands. It may make sense to construct 12,000 AF
in phase I and the remaining potential 23,000
AF in phase II.
The Dry Gulch Reservoir
plays an integral role in the SJWCD's long-term plans to meet the water supply
needs within the community. The Reservoir will provide a critical safety
storage supply to buffer area residents and businesses from the effects of
severe drought. The reservoir development is necessary for the health and
welfare of District constituents now and to meet projected growth.
An extensive inventory and review of more than 13
potential reservoir sites within the County revealed that there were two
geotechnically, topographically, and cost effective sites to choose from that
have the least environmental concerns associated with them. One site has since
been purchased by others for development. Therefore, it has been determined
that the most feasible site in the County that meets most requirements is the
Dry Gulch Reservoir site. Unless the land is immediately purchased, it could be
lost to other development interests and/or become financially prohibitive.
The Dry Gulch Reservoir will be
an off-stream facility located approximately one mile north from the historic
downtown area of Pagosa Springs along US Highway 160 and in close proximity to
the San Juan River. The drainage basin will not yield adequate water to fill the
reservoir and will require diversions from the San Juan River. District flow
and storage rights have been acquired for the reservoir and diversion from the
San Juan River. The water supply developed for the reservoir is provided by
Colorado's allocation under the Colorado River Compact. The project would allow
Colorado to continue to utilize that allocation by allowing the District to
store entitled rights. Storage of
this up stream water also preserves water quality and provides drought
protection. The diversion from the San Juan River into the reservoir is junior
to a CWCB in-stream flow water right. To protect the river, no diversions may
be made to the reservoir when the San Juan stream flows are at 50 cubic feet
per second (cfs) or less from March 1 to August 31 and 30 cfs from September 1
to February 28.
The Dry Gulch
Reservoir project meets the following water
management objectives: 1) it will sustainably meet municipal and industrial
demands; 2) it will sustainably meet agricultural demands; 3) it optimizes
existing and future water supplies; 4) it will substantially enhance
recreational opportunities; 5) it promotes cost effectiveness as the most
economically viable site location; 6) it will comply with all applicable laws,
regulations, and water rights; and 7) it provides an excellent location and
supply of raw water for forest fire suppression.
The Dry Gulch Reservoir can also augment the
water needs for: Archuleta County, Park Ditch Water Company, and other
potential downstream users. The development
of the Dry Gulch Reservoir will assist
Park Ditch Water Company with water delivery, thereby preserving agricultural
practices. In addition, the reservoir will help support economic
vitality to Archuleta County with enhanced tourism potential/visits to the
reservoir and associated facilities. Strong consideration is being given to open space with planned parks and recreational
facilities.