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-. ~up.sdav Julv 28 199?-GlenwDod Sonnas {Cola \ PO~ Wolford: Good deal or rush job? By JOHN STROUD Post staff writer Looking back. Western Slope residents should have been al- lowed more comment on the Wol- ford Mountain Reservoir deal reached last week. says Pitkin County's representative on the Colorado River Water Conserva- tion District board, "It seemed to move along so fast. and it seemed to leave a lot of people be- hind." said Snowmass rancher Bob Child, who was one of two river diwicl directors who voted against a pact with the Den- ver Water Board to build the 549 million project near Kremmling, Child said additional public meetings to get comments from citizens on the project "would have been advisable." Before that could happen, the deal was already signed and deliv- ered. he said. "It didn't seem to me we were gelling a fair return for what we're giving up," Child said after the river disuict approved the deal on an B-2 vote last Tuesday, Garfield County's director on the river disuict board. Jean Cole, said the project is a good deal for all of Colorado, "In my opinion. it was the best way we could come up with the financing for thIS thing." Cole said, "It's a good deal for the Western Slope and for Colorado, "Our goal is to preserve th,e Colorado River for all of Col- orado. not just the Western Slope." he said, Bob Child '7'Q)C r.n~ ~ ~O-' Q),=" =. ::9 Q.o no.:;- :' """'3 - "00' ..... _::l ("':"C- O'Q G e. 9 0 0 ..... ~.~=~~~ 9 _ -'''0 ::::$ C -. :r ~ a (':) 2. Q.. g =- .., ..... :::l -< 50 ;;;: -. g..... (':) : e:;-o 0"0 .... Vl - C o~ .....:'!O" :< -, -:: =' ~ ("': ::r c. ('J 0"'" (:l _ -:::r ",,0;;; CJ'l~ <:Cc. ~ Vl 2..:"0 (tIO'" -'a-- ::l ("J 0 0 g gO 2..SQ By far the most extensive pro- ject ever undertaken by the river disuict, Wolford Mountain. which has been on the table about 10 years. will divert up to 15.000 acre-feet of water per year from the Colorado River Basin to Den- ver. The deal calls for Denver to pay most of the cost to build the reservoir by leasing water from the river district for $43 million over 25 years. After that time. Denver would own 40 percent of the project. Denver's use of Wolford Mountain water is intended to en- hance the city's "dry-year" sup- ply, when it would otherwise be required to release water from Dillon Reservoir to meet down- stream water demands on the Western Slope. 'So-called "dry years" occur only once in about every seven or eight years. according to river dis- trict spokesman Chris T,eese. But when one does occur. it means whatever water the West- ern Slope needs isn't available for Denver water users. Wolford Mountain. which is expected to be completed in 1995, would provide additional water for downstream release. leavmg enough water for Denver avail- ~ 5- 50 ~ 8 ~.:E~. a:oo.....rn3o:dsga:=.. 2. C/.I (") ::T' ~ -':: -. 0 ;:::. .... :T ~. ~ ::!.. g ..... Jg Q) I]Cl 0 '< Q.. -, - n' ='<: ::;;:. ;e. .... :- ~ ~ _ ~ 0 ~ o 0 0 ..... Q. (;'" =. ~..., (.tl :::l (fQ ~ __ - '" y; o (;l _. = en :E Co. 0.-:; o <: c.. n ::.' r.n ::l 00 0 ~ ::T'Q) <~cO'I:.f;s-'< ~ 3 "0 0 g' (':) :- ~ _.::1 -' "0 ..... ;;r :E tn (":I r;.n Q) Ov (':l l:l.l 0 0 ~ (') VJ ~(;"O"2.=-,:-tIl '^ ""'I .... _. _ .... ;:;:. ""'I o' 0 -' :; :I.OCi"=' = 0 - ~~gQ9 S ~ '"' ~ '" - " Q. .- r. a 50 ~ ;;; Q. - :l 3 ." " .. .. ... ~ o - .... o """t Q. ..., - '"' '"' ~ '"' 5" ::T ~('.l .... tIl '" ::;>0: o. ;; , -." ::r", '" 0 0''0 "'- , '"' ~ ~ -. :r ':;' n 0 3 n 0 ~ tIl 0 -. .... ""'I ^ '"C ~ ""'I' :J '2 5' .... :::;:; ~ ....:; 0;' 0 ('.l ('.lo::r ~....::r::r-'~ Q. t1I I;,r. ..- ;.:0"" .." =- ~ {/.I 0 :. < - n :. ~=::ro;:;oo9..~, :-~~~""6tl:1S-QO ~Q.::rs:~~-.(tl~:::l ;.:oo~n~~~o..~ '<::l~_""~O~ ;n~==tl:IBo;:; ~ ::!. 0 Q. g :"'" "'0 ,,<,::(J'QOtlls: 5'c ::r;.:o e:::,,,,, (') a ::r:-~Q.~ c.:~ ~ _ t1l' ::r t1I (') < ...... tl:I en ~5 .... 5~ ~ 0 l:l.l 3 tIl::. t1I = tIl tl:I t1I (') I ..., ~ '< = (tl Please see 'Wolford,' Page 10