Rocky Ford enterprise., 1894-10-25
w. N. RANDALL'S VIEWS.
The Twin Lakes Reservoir and a
Fair Distribution of the Water.

In this county there are approximately 800
miles of main irrisating ditch having carry
ing capacity of not far from 5000 cubic feet
of water per second of time. which will irri-
gate 10000 acres of land. The Arkansas
river, from which these bitches are
taken. generally furnishes more water
than the bitches can carry from
about the 18th of May to the 18th of
July. During the remainder of the season.
except short intervals of high water caused
bp cloHdbursts on some of the tributaries of
the Arkansas river. there is less water than is
needed for irrigation purposes. How to sup
ply this needed amount of water is a very i'm
portant question to the irrigation of this
valley.
March 2nd. 1880 Congress appropriated
SEQ 900 for irrigation surveys in the arid re-
gions, of which quite part was spent In
Colorado. The object of these surveys was
to measure the flow of water in the rivers,
select sites for reservoirs and report same to
MAJ. J. W. Powell, director of the geological
survey. In June. 1859. Mr.. Summer H. Bod
fish. G. z. was assigned the division at the
head waters of the Arkansas river and he at
once commenced surveys OF the different res
ervoir sites on his division. The largest and
most practicable site on his division is what
is known as the Twin Lakes site, situated on
Lake Creek, Lake county. Colorado. The
scre feet of water. 1t is estimated that the
loss of water by evaporation and percolation
during the months of storage will reduce this
amount to 115,0C0 acre feet, and that this
amount will suffer loss of about 80 per cent in
conveyance to the lands in this valley,
leaving 50 500 acre feet of water for applica-
ton to the land This will irrigate 100000
acres of land one irrigation which, with the
flow of water in the river will, if divided
cording to their capacity. furnish the needed
supply to the bitches now constructed.
The proposed plan of discharging the water
from the reservoir Is through four pipes, each
feet in diameter, which will give mean dis
charge of about 1900 cubic feet of water per
second of time, The reservoir when filled to
its full capacity will furnish 1850 cubic feet of
water per second time for 40 days. and, after
deducting for loss in conveyance, will leave
about 200 cubic feet of water per second of
time for distribution among the canals in
this valley.
How to distribute the water fairly among
the bitches is a question of great Importance
to the farmers under the bitches. Mr.. Crow
ley's bill. Sec. 7, reads as follows:
.aThe said reservoir and water works and
the waters when SO collected and stored, shall
be the properly of the state; and the waters
sas a river by the the present channel @ IL Of Lake Ike
creek. for the purpose OF supply the deficiency
OF fS5 n b
appropriations by the several canals and
bitches taken from said stream. The state
engineer or in his stead such person or per-
sons as may be duly appointed for that pur-
pose according to law, shall determine, reg
ulate and provide for the delivery of such
water to such canals and bitches, according
to their several appropriations, DEGREES Of
court, capacities and necessities"
This bill provides that the water shall be
delivered according to the DEGREES of court.
Tor In other words according to priority) Let
US look at the DEGREES of court and see II that
is Justice to the water consumers under the
new bitches. The DEGREES of court according
to the records filed in the Office of Supt, of
Irrigation are as follows: