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<br />"UN:tTEDSTATES ~j ,
<br />, DEl'ARTlIlENT OF TIlE INTEJUOR
<br />OFFICE0F''l'!lE SECRETARY' '
<br />Washington 25, D. C.
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<br />, NovemQ~~ ,,18 ,,1,953
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<br />:MelUorandlriIi
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<br />FrOJ1l1
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<br />The Secretary,
<br />Under Secretary
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<br />"",To.:,
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<br />'SubjeCt: Constructtonof'Dams in the Dinosaur National, i\llonume:lt
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<br />,In accordance with your verbal instructionsp I have made a
<br />study conce::'lling the proposal to build the Echo Bark DajJl and the Split
<br />Mountain Dam as a part of the Upper Colorado River:B.;>.sin development.
<br />The8e .two dams, if builtp will be located wHhin'the Dinosau.:r National
<br />'iIloriument" They we:!:e O)'ig~,nally' proposed: to be included in the plan of
<br />: de'Telopment of' the basin whioh was prepared by tl:1e BureaU ofR6clama tion
<br />and recommended for a,ppro~ral,bythe SecretaIjof':the Inte:."io~in January
<br />'1951. Oppo&ition developed to the construction of tl1ese ,twodains in the
<br />Dinosaur National MOI:Umer,t"and on Dec",mber 4p 1952, ,the theIj Secretary
<br />, of the Interior revised his recommenda tionand ,proposed ,thact" further
<br />':lonsideration be gi'Y'en' to studies of alternate sites. It was under
<br />these circUlll8tances that you directed me to investigate the matter with
<br />partiCular reference to theisuggested al terilate sites.
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<br />In conllectionwith this investigation :1 have reviewed the
<br />: reports , sought and been ,furnished data and, information from both the
<br />National Park Service 'lond the Bureau of Reclamation, conferred viith
<br />various interestedpa~,ies and organizations, and h~vep in, company with
<br />'the Director of the, NaUonalPark Ser'l'ice and:bhe' Colll!lrl,ssioner' of ,the
<br />,Bureau of Reclamation, perso:lally' visited ',the,:two dams.i tes in question
<br />and inspected a considerable portion of the' Dinosaur Nat"ional MOl;lument.
<br />I also inspected on the grou.'ld anli .t1romthe, air other port:lonll of the
<br />Upper Colorado River area~
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<br />The opposition to the two dams in que~tion ari~esfrom persons
<br />and organizations interested in the national pa~ks,and their desire to
<br />, preserve the Dinosaur National ~lonument in its presentnatu::,al ~tate.
<br />" The Echo Park Da.m) 'in partic\1lar~ will create a large re,sl;lrvoh' within
<br />," thi,~ Monumen'i> 'and will ce:rtainly, alter i tsappearance and., the eJlisting
<br />conditions. Itis$,matter of personal opinion as to the e"tent of the
<br />ha:::"Ill that may be created by this reservoir. 1iW' own -feeling is 'that, the
<br />altel"ation will be substantial and if conflicting interests did not
<br />e"ist, I would'prefer to see the Monument remain in its natural state.
<br />Howeve::", I do feel that if the dam is built.. the beauty of the park will
<br />by no means be destroyed and it will remai,n an area of grea'tattraction
<br />to mal\Y people.
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<br />It should be noted that neither of these proposed reservoirs
<br />will inundate any portion of the quarl'Y where the dinosaur skeletons
<br />have been found.
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