Laserfiche WebLink
<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />.il I \. <br /> <br />3051 <br /> <br />- 7 - <br /> <br />I would like to suggest that if the flood waters were controlled by <br />strategically located dams on the Platte River and its tributary streams in <br />the foothills area, and on the watersheds of the tributary streams originat- <br />ing in the high plains &reas, such as Bijou and Kiowa creeks, the flood <br />control feature could b8 eliminated from the proposed Narrows Dam, with <br />greater protection afforded to a greater number of people in the State. <br /> <br />This in turn would reduce the requirements needed for a dam to stabilize <br />stream flow and to catch the. additional return fla. created by waters diverted <br />from the Colorado River Basin, and would make feasible many other sites on <br />the Platte river, where the condemnation of land might occur on less high <br />priced land of limited production. <br /> <br />Several other advantages of such a plan occur to me. <br /> <br />1. High storage of these flood waters means more moderate temperature8 <br />and less evaporation. <br />2. Water diverted from this high storage could be used in many more of <br />the existing irrigation districts in North Eastern Colorado to supplement th~ <br />water supplies and stabilize the economy of the area. <br />3. By this high storage and use in these higher districts, the return <br />flow to the river could be increased considerably, and use and re-use of <br />this .rater could be made several times before it crossed the State line, !lnd <br />ma,"'{imum benefit of the water ..muld be obtained through this reo-use. <br />4. Many sites for these structures in the foothills area, could be ob- <br />tained on marginal or submarginal land which would not materially effect the <br />agricultural economy of county, State and Nation. <br />5. Lowland areas and Municipalities on the Platte river and its tribu- <br />taries, between the Narrows site and the foothills area, would be protected <br />from floods. <br />6. The silt problem of any proposed main channel storage would be <br />essentially solved. <br />7. The ground "lat2~ supplies would be sharply augmented, which are <br />becoming increasingly critical in areas supplied by in~ermittent streams. <br /> <br />I believe that most farmers under irrigation in the vicinity of the <br />Platte River, recognize the need for some type channel storage on the ri v<:.' <br />.~.,) stabHiz" the stream flow and and catch for re-use arry additional return <br />fJ.'."" that m?.y OCcur as a result of diversion proj ects. Certainly, most <br />f"-.'"TI1~rs in thi.s high plains region of the StateJ i'ealize the importance of <br />"'";'2''' in e.rr;r form for crop productio'1. and r"ali'.le t,t,at the maximum use of <br />F':"y uater c:railable. in the area is of paramour.t j mport.ance, <br /> <br />After studying the reports of the "",orir:gs OT'. t.he Harrows Dam Project <br />and the additional statements filed su'::>seq1:.c',.+ to the hearip.~s; I believe <br />t:lat the major oppositio',1 to the dam may be sUh;,,,'rizec1. "-8 follows, <br /> <br />1. The people of the V;21,don Valley oppose j,t because it. means the <br />condemnation of their homes, their farms, end their ,l"s'ns"',o~s, T~y wcul,: <br />be forced to seek a new livelihood. <br />