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.'Rocky Mountain News ,Larry D. Stiuttoo, PtJJIUJw. PraidMlIllfll Q,;,f ~ OfTrar Jay AmInIie, Edit... ......._.s..;".v.P..w........"""GaoIoIiM ....-'--'-c.... ]I J &/iIw DouIoLD. ,V.P.~..__ --...-- - -. , .... ....R.GIoAiI, V.P. 0jleaIi00a CIIIIoId D.IoIq.~&IW "_a.-..,.v.P.IItftIUc..__ =~s:t':~'- ~P.WWdaf.v'p'_"1+. .......- "GitI,1igIIt and IN ~ will fittd IN;' 011III """. Tues..Seot, 27, /994 1lOCIclI~1llAII1l~ Colorado in danger of losing valuable undeveloped water to downriver states The u.s. Bureau of Reclama- tion has alarming new plans to permanently use Col9rado's most valuable undeveloped Colorado River Compact waters for out-of- state purposes. These plans in- volve the managed release of state waters from bureau reservoirs in the Upper Gunnison Basin. As authorized by Congress, the bureau's Aspinall Unit and Taylor Park Reservoir were built primar- ily to help Colorado capture and use its legal share of the Colorado River. Unfortunately, most of the untapped Gunnison's vast snow- melt currently bypasses these fed- eral facilities every spring to out- of-state growth areas. The bureau has recently said it plans to use 148,000 acre feet of this s.uq>lus' Colorado water for -recovery of endange.r:~ fish. AS' a , result; existfug" GUnnison' users have been advised that water cur- tailments can be expected during dry periods. This action would se- verely limit future Colorado water development for drought protec- tion and growth. In addition, the bureau hllS re- cently acquired control of the 106,OOO-acre-feet Taylor Pllrk Reservoir Refill Decree from the Upper Gunnison River Wllter Conservancy District. This decree was quietly transferred to the feds under the misguided notion that Taylor River fish and recreation should have a double supply of water in wet years. The unfortu- nate result of this double-nushing decree is the pennanent loss of state waters that should be stored at high altitude for drought protec- tioDQn bQt.bslo~s. The'~buteau. s ,newly claimed . tonO'or M these surplus headwa- tel's from Colorado's wettest un- tapped water source means the loss of the state's most develop- able water to downriver states. These high-llltitude Gunnison floodwaters are invaluable for Col- orado's future. They could be stored at high altitude in the low- cost. off-river Union Park Reser- voir site during wet years for re- lease to Colorado's four major river systems during the multi- year droughts. The Endangered Species Act does not override the Colorado River Compact. Colorado should demand a full environmental and economic analysis of these federal actions. Colorado cannot afford to lose its drought protection and water future by administrative de- fault before the 21st century. - - Dave MlDer Palmer Lake ,------ ,--- .~-----r~I4' ~