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, , 66-Rocky oYIovnlOln News ~A~ Thurs., Jl.KIe 29. 1978. Denioo'er, Colo. Rocky Mountain News A ~..rir(1..II.."..r(1 :"Ii""'''p_,.rr MICHAEL BALFE HOWARD, Edito, WilLIAM W. FLETCHER, Business Manager Foun<I..(1 April 23, 1859 Trl.892.5000 ............ _. -.... ~fWf 0(,"",_ ~SHItOO co _w (_...._,0-_,(..._ _<Ju-M........... .............--..._..s.....___ ""'-'-~ _,....._...c~.-_~....._.__;.....,..__...._...~..... '''(;I.~",hl uod ,loP ...."a......,... .....-...,... The Foothills review AS THE ARMY Corps of Engineers begins what promises to be the final round of studies before construction starts on the Foothills water treatment complex. it ap- pears the long-standing controversy over the first phase of the projl>cl may be near. inl( a conclusion. The De-nvPf Watt>r Board and the U,S. Environmental Protedion Agency have staked out predictable positions. Now it is up to the Army lo decide just how thorough a study it will make. The Water Board. anxious to start work, wants a limited review ollhe site and de- si~ or the Strontia Sprin~ dam on the South Platte River. This dam would cap. ture and hold water La be takt'n to lhe planl and thus is cruciallo Foothills. The EPA. which views Foothills as a jUowth-promoter which may not be neces- sary, wants a much more sweeping study. OUR OWN PREFERENCE would be lor a procedure which would: - Start by giving the Watt'r Board a chance to prove it, contention that the pro- po~ Strontia SprinttS Dam i.~ oC (he be!;1 sill:' and in the besl place for di\'('rtinR only 125 million gallons ci water a day - the start.up capacily for Foothills. The board should have to disprove the EP A 's conten- tion thai Stronlia SprinRS is ow>r!;i7Pd and thai more modest and less damaging aller. nalivl's have bl>en ignored. If the Water Board can do it. there is no need at this point to consider whether Foothills mi~1 be expanded someday to its ultimate ca. paCllj' of 500 million gallons a day. Build at Stronlia Springs and be done \With it. - If there is a better sile than Strontia Springs for a 125-million.gallon.a.(jay dlvt'rsion dam. recommend that it be built in the new site - unless the Water Board can show thaI eVl"n with appropriate water con."f"rvation measur('s il'! cht>rishE-d SOO mgd planl will be needed in the foreseeable future. - Not restudy any more of the Foothills controversy than is necessary. Alan Mer- son, (he EPA re~onal dire<'lor, wrote in May that "our heanngs substantiated. . . that 125 mgd be the stipulated increase in Denwr's water trealment capacity as a re- sull of thi.'! project." Now he propose-s lhe Army starl from SC"ratch on se....eral issues, including a re-evaluation of whether Den. ver net"ds any more treated water capacity at all. That's hard to reconcile. This newspaper. which opfXISes develop. ment o( a rulJ-seale. 500-m~d Foothills. aCC'epl~ the EPA's ear1it'r judj.t:mt'nt that (he rlrst phase is needed. Thl> question now is, wh/:>re the dh'{'rsion dam should be buill. and how larF:t' it n<>e1:Is to be 10 add 125 m~d to tilt> Board's tr{'l'll('d-wal{'r capacity. 1l1f'rt' is no virtue in t'ndless studies which wiU only delay construction. I( the Water Board can prove that StrOll. tia Sprinw; is the righl Size and the ri,.;,t spol (or 125 m~d. as it claims it can. the cosUy delays on the (irst phase of Foothills can end. Cosmic issues such as further transmoontain diversion and the sprawl that will be encouraged by an e\'er~xp.and. in~ Foothills can be argued in due time. ooe...') V'v