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<br />" <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />as a bookkeeping entry to construction. We hope the Congress <br />will not get any idea that federal money has already been <br />invested in physical construction. The purchased parcels <br />should be salable for more than was paid for them. <br /> <br />Up to this point, the discussion has simply assumed, <br />without proof, that a safe dam can actually be built at <br />Narrows. In February, 1978, the Bureau of Reclamation of <br />the Department of Interior prepared a special report which <br />stated: <br /> <br />The result of stability analysis and foundation studies <br />accomplished by the Engineering and Research Center <br />indicates that a safe dam can be constructed at the <br />Narrows site. In addition, an independent safety <br />review panel has conducted an independent review of <br />the foundation geology, foundation seepage problems, <br />and feasibility embankment design, and concluded that <br />a safe dam can be built at the Narrows Dam site using <br />state-of-the-art techniques. (Summary Page, page 1 <br />of the Special Report.) . . <br /> <br />The word "can" is the villian in the above quotation. <br />If the United States can build a vehicle which will travel <br />at the rate of 17,400 miles per hour and reenter the earth's <br />atmosphere with two live healthy human beings, it obviously <br />can build a safe reservoir almost anywhere if it is willing <br />ro-spend enough money. The Special Report did not cover <br />costs associated with facts revealed by the three independent <br />panel members employed by the Bureau of Reclamation to re- <br />view the dam safety and seepage problems. Clearly, once <br />the Department of Interior was many millions of dollars <br />into construction, it would simply write a change order <br />to cover increased costs to meet hazards actually encountered <br />during construction. Noting the reports of the independent <br />panel members we ask the reader to ask himself whether ,he <br />would put his own money into the Narrows project in view <br />of the reports. <br /> <br />Howard ,A. Coombs pointed out the fOllowing: <br /> <br />a. The buried channel to the south of the South <br />Platte River serves as an excellent aquifer permitting <br />water to bypass the Narrows Dam. <br /> <br />b. Control of water through the buried channel <br />is perhaps the most critical item in the design of <br />the dam and cutoff wall. In determining the safety <br />and feasibility of Narrows, the ability to control <br />seepage, particularly around the right abutment, is <br /> <br />-lS- <br />