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00 r-- C"". .~ '-' -"~ ..~(.~o SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS Summary This report presents the results of feasibility investigations of the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) for the Dominguez Reservoir Project concluded in early 1982 and conducted under guidelines in exist- ence at that time. The investigations were authorized by the Water Re- sources Developments Feasibility Studies Act of October 27, 1972 (Public Law 92-577), and conducted under the Water Resources Council's Principles and Standards for Water and Related Land Resource Planning (Principles and Standards). " The intent of the investigations was to determine the feasibility of a multipurpose project to develop unused flows in the lower reach of the Gunnison River to meet present and future needs in Delta and Mesa Counties in west-central Colorado. Although the immediate project area is between and surrounding the cities of Delta and Grand Junction, to some extent the investigations also addressed needs of the State of Colorado and the entire power marketing area served by the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP). These areas have undergone unusually rapid industrial and residential growth, stimulated to a great degree by the Nation's search for new energy sources. The two-county area has been especially involved in this growth because of its central location and proximity to developing oil shale, coal, uranium, and petroleum reserves. Originally, projections of need for additional generating capaci- ties indicated that 5,800 megawatts (MW) of peaking power in the Colorado River Storage Project marketing area and 211 MW of base load power in western Colorado would be required by 2000. It was on this projection of peaking power needs that the feaSibility-level studies for the Domin- guez Reservoir Project were based. After completion of these studies, however, it became apparent that the recent application of intensive conservation measures has reduced the rate of power demand increase from about 7 percent per year in 1978 to about 3 percent at present. In addi- tion, due to changes in rate structure by power companies and load leveling, primarily by industries, demand peaks have become lower and broader, resulting in lower peaking power need than originally projected. Current projections are for approximately 3,000 MW of hydropeaking needs by the year 2000. Water supply studies by Reclamation indicate that by the year 2000 the total annual demand for municipal and light industrial (M&I) water in the Grand Valley area of Mesa County will exceed the supply by 21,200 acre-feet. According to these studies, there is adequate water available for present needs and for a small amount of projected growth, but short- ages will begin to develop after 1990. The studies were based on recent water uses and future projections of industrial development and popula- tion growth. Studies were not conducted for M&I water needs in Delta County since no entities there indicated an interest in such water, and S-l