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" '~lr, Richard L. nrO\'in -3- February 17, 1976 " 0295 It is proposed (page 11-42) that the Jackson Lake storage right be transferred to the Narrows Reservoir and such waters will be adillinistered and released by the Bureau. 1hi'~ ,,~ti()n \'rin require approval by tIle ~ivision Hater Court prior to actual trans- fer, as \"ill the proposed use of the ileldon Valley Ditch if it can be purcllased, Chapter III - Description of the Environm9nt This chapter appears to accurately describe the existing uses of \;ater .,.;ith the exce[>tion of ground \'Iater. Since 1961 which ~Ias the end of the study period, approxi~ately 500 irrigation wells have been constructed in the South Platte River alluvium which may affect the demand for the supplemental \'Iater to be provided by the Narrows Reservoir. ' Chapter IV - Environmental Imoacts 'of the Prooosed Action It is stated that the new supplemental water supply (excluding the Heldon Valley Canal) will increase the value of crop production in the project service area by about $9,215,000 per year (page IV-5). However, there is no discussion on the loss of crop production for the 8,900 acres of irrigated land not associated with the Heldon Va 11ey CanaL On page IV-9, it is stated that investigations have been initiated to better define the rJte of seepage and determine where this ground water may go, In that the amount of seepage directly affects the amount of project water' available, it would appear that the issuance of the final environlllental statement should be delayed until these investigations are completed. 1he in~act of the additional evapotrdnspiration losses for the potential 700 to 800 acre seep area has not been evaluated (page IV-9). The source of the irrigation water for the revegetation processes IS not indicated (puge IV-24), On page IV-79, it is stated that the increased productivity from lands '1litilin the NarrD'.'/s Project service area ,/i11 more than compensate for tile lOss of a1)ricultural prOduction on land used for the project; howeve", there ure no econollllc production cOlllparisons provided which \'lOuld justify this staLelllcnt. lhe/'c is no discuss ion prov"ided on the source of in'igation Hatcr for the 2,200 aCl'es of o'ops to be gro'llIl on project lands for \;ildlife purposes (page IV-79). The potential evaporJtion losses from ponds created for borrow purposes below the dam have not been considered (page IV-81).