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<br />municipal use. The Sute now takes the position that 620 (f) is intended to mirror the Colorado River <br />Compact which would protect California and the other lower Basin states. but not Colorado. This <br />basicallv means that the federal turbines could callout Colorado's agricultural and municipal uses. <br /> <br />~. <br /> <br />CRSPA was developed to allow Colorado and the other upper basin ,tates to develop their <br />entitlements without being called Out by the lower Basin sutes or Mexico. The Division 4 Water <br />Coun. at the urging of the State and Federal governments. now holds that the Aspinall Unit (Blue <br />Mesa, Morrow Point and Crysul reservoirs) may be used to block. not foster, upstream water <br />development in Colorado. For the State to adopt the Federal government.s position as to Federal <br />conuol of the GunnisDn River is irresponsible. <br /> <br />This move effectively prevents the use of any CDIDrado River water from the GunnisDn Basin Dn the <br />front range, where the majority of CDIDrado's population resides, or in other areas upstream frDm <br />. Aspinall. The instr~~m flDw filing and federal power giveaway taken tDgether allocate the entire <br />ColoradD River for endangered fish and use by other states. This position is untenable. That our State <br />officials, without the knowledge Dr consent of responsible legislators such as you, have adopted this <br />position for .colorado's water entitlement is profoundly disturbing. The onlv beneficiaries of these <br />moves will be Arizona, Nevada and California. <br /> <br />Arapahoe County has a direct interest in these outcomes, as we are vigorously pursuing the Union Park <br />ReservDir project in. Gunnison County. Union Park is an off-river, high altitude, pump-back. system <br />designed to provide reliable and renewable water supplies for years to come. The Union Park project, <br />because of its size and altitude, has the ability to protect water flows on the western slope and to <br />. prOvide other beIiefit:; to ~~ western slope that can only be realized through high-altitude storage. <br /> <br />Though we believe. our project to be environmentally sound, and a means to use only a small portion <br />. of ColoradD's .compact apportiDnment, the State continues to Dppose our project, while finding <br />common ground with the federal government. The issues, however, have statewide significance. <br />Colorado may well lose its ability tD protect its long teon water future from encroachments by <br />downStream states. <br /> <br />We wDuld like to discuss this matter with YDU and your fellow legislators at any convenient time. <br /> <br />Very truly yours, <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />Thomas R. Eggen, Commissioner <br />Board of County Commissioners <br />Arapahoe CDunty, .cDIDrado <br /> <br />TREjmf <br />