Pacific Southwest Water Plan - Report August 1963

Document: Pacific Southwest Water Plan "Printed Copy" Chapter II, August 26 ,1963 page 11Arizona, this amount is not sufficient to satisfy its present needs. Hence, supplies in addition to those which might be made available from the Colorado River must be sought for central Arizona if the current and future needs of the area are to be met. Southern Nevada--The southern Nevada area in recent years has experienced the fastest growth of any area in the United States. At the present time its water supply is primarily obtained from underground sources. Some surface-water diversions are made from Lake Mead to serve the mineral and chemical industry in the vicinity of Henderson, and some flows continue on to the vicinity of Las Vegas. Additional municipal diversions are made from Lake Mead to serve Boulder City. The growing water demand is at present being met largely by depletion of ground-water storage. Plans are well advanced for the proposed Southern Nevada Water Supply project which would alleviate this situation by bringing in additional surface water from Lake Mead. Western New Mexico--The New Mexico portion of the Colorado River Basin is tributary to the Gila and the Little Colorado Rivers. The areas lie in the high mountain and plateau belt with small farming units scattered along the main stems of the rivers. Demands for these areas are presently being met from ground water and from direct diversions from the rivers when and if water is available. With erratic riverflows the area is in need of river regulation to provide a dependable water supply. The city of Gallup is in the tributary area of the Little Colorado River, and its demands are presently being met from local sources; however, the State of New Mexico is at present planning a diversion into the Gallup area to serve its future needs. The entire western New Mexico area is presently a potential recreation area where demands are now being made for outdoor recreation developments. Construction of Hooker Dam as a part of the proposed Central Arizona Project will aid materially in solving the problems of the area. Southern Utah--The Utah portion of the Colorado River Basin is relatively small and is located in the extreme southwestern corner of the State. The streams that are in the area consist of Kanab Creek and the Virgin River. Although the present demands are being met by these sources, the area is in need of river regulation and conservation of additional water to serve the expanding needs. The proposed Dixie Project is designed to satisfy many of the immediate needs. Summary--As the population of the Pacific Southwest has grown, the area has become an important and dynamic segment of the Nation's economy. The water supply problems have grown in complexity and cost until they are now of national significance. Works of unprecedented scope and magnitude must be undertaken to sustain the present economy and provide for future growth. II-11Epson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 1,179,178 byte