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<br />r-:'Ct <br /> <br />, '1; <br />:'~>~ <br /> <br />from both flows. A study was made by the Public Health Service to <br />determine the effects of mixing waters from the upper Uncompahgre <br />River' and Red Mountain Creek. This work was carried out by the <br />Colorado River Basin Water Quality Control Laboratory. Water from' <br />the Uncompahgre River would increase the pH of the water within <br />the reservoir and preci~itate the dissolved metals contained in <br />Red Mountain Creek. Thus the precipitation of the metals would <br />occur within the reservoir, rather than in the Uncompahgre River <br />from above Ouray to Ridgway. This not only would permit full <br />benefits to be achieved for a Ridgway Reservoir fishery, but would <br />also permit development of the Uncompahgre River from Ouray to <br />Ridgway Reservoir for fishing. In collaboration with the U. S. , <br />Fish and Wildlife Service, (16) increased fishery benefits due <br />to improvement in water quality are estimated to be $9,300 annually <br />in the stream above the reservoir, and $40,000 annually'within <br />Ridgway Reservoir. <br /> <br /> <br />In addition to fishery benefits, there would be a significant <br />intangible water quality benefit to the use of Ridgway Reservoir <br />as a water supply, if Ironton Park Reservoir is constructed. A <br />safety factor would be provided by holding the heavy metals within <br />Ironton Park Reservoir rather than allowing these metals to flow ' <br />down the Uncompahgre River. Even though the limited water quality <br />data available show the water at Ridgway Reservoir site to be generally <br />within the limits of the Public Health Service Drinking Water Standards, <br />the Colorado State Health Department and the Public Health Service are <br />reluctant to give blanket approval for the continuous domestic use of <br />the reservoir water. A water which does not permit the propagation <br />and growth of aquatic life due to the presence of heavy metals in <br />concentrations toxic to aquatic life, would be unpalatable for human <br />consumption. <br /> <br />>";:;"', <br />!":1f::: <br /> <br />::i~' ." <br /> <br />In addition to diverting water from the upper Uncompahgre <br />River to Ironton Park Reservoir, it would be desirable to also <br />divert water from Canyon Creek to the reservoir. In this way, <br />there would be further improvement of water quality below Ironton <br />Park Reservoir, as well as increased power benefits. <br /> <br /> <br />'0 T', <br /> <br />_:c-, , <br /> <br />,.,,-, <br /> <br />., <br />0t~1 <br />,\~~;' <br />;~., <br /><~-: '. <br /> <br />27 <br />