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THE POST'S OPiNION c:> "" c:..J <::.> "', ,.... - Reclamation Projects Will Strengthen Colorado I.. li~ t>. Sherman, Colorado', natural re. s<'IITccls director, is in the: process of modifying and approving a series of reclamation projects in Westc," Colorado. It is a wilil\ process because it will strengthen Colorado agriculture and permit the stale's farmers and municipalities 10 pUI 10 U~ 3.8 million acre-feel of water assigned (he state from the Colorado River. ' While .here are stven in all. four of the (lfojecls are of most direct concern. These aTC ('Ifojecls already given the green light for con. ti(Tuction by the U.S. Congress. But a process that "nCt' might have been routine has become a baltlcground. Wildlire grollpS and agencies. working under a general environmcntaliM banner. are 8t1Cmpling 10 shut off Sherman and the U.S. Bureau of Reclama. tir 'f they pos~ibly can. . .,Is.~ue is the question of big game habitat. ObviOusly, eonstru1..1ion of dams bas an adverse cffect on the winfer wildlife range in the area where water will be impounded. But it can'l-and shouldn't-bc a situation of R()Z blocking expanded agricultural benefils just fO(. the status quo in wildlife. Besides, any raneher can affirm the importance of his crops in hc:Jpina wildlife in times of distress. Actually, what Sherman is doing is taking I moderate approach 10 the problem. He is eHee. tivc:ly moving both sides loward Ihe middle. Sherman's staff already has approved two of the plans, the Dallas C~ek and Fruitland Mesa projects, the first near Ridgeway and the second northeast of Montrose. 1n both cases planned water storage ha~ been ,educed subMantially, thereby decreasing wild. HIe impact. And in the case of Fruitland Mesa. Sherman was able to persuade the U.S. BUTeau of Reclamation 10 ~pend S4 million to buy pri. vale land 10 offr.ct the wildlife habilatlost to the proj~t. This is a process that the ranchers oppose. Thcy do not like 10 see land withdrawn from 8griculture. Their bitterness reaches the point of claiming that Colo,ado is "spending $l,OOO a deer" to maintain such habitat. But it i~ important 10 savc lhi~ re~outte. too. and Sherman is 10 be commended for moving toward balanced support of both agriculture and wildlife. His track record nn Dallas Creek and fruit. land Mcsa is sufficiently good to encourage Coloradan~ to trusl the process the Test of the way-through the Clamination of the other two projects approved by Congress. Dolores and Savery.Pol Hook., The bc:~t interests of Colorado are being served. Colorado needs strengthening of its ago ricultural resource. And it needs to protect its wildlife. The program of providing alternative, nr miligating, lands lor habitat is a good one and .hou1d be pursued. There is one Olher point aboutlhe criticism of the dams that needs consideralion. This is the cynical claim ,hat energy companies will come along and huy up the waler and agriculture will lose in the long run. This need not happen. The stale has II number of protections against such a possibility, One is the facl thaI mo~1 of the projects aren't in Ihe vicinity 01 energ.y projecls. Bul good I3nd use planning. plus proper exercise of walcr conser. ~ancy district regulations on use. can provide ongoing ~uarantee"" to make SilfC agriculture'. best inlerest~ are lIerved.