WSP11417

• File Number: 8220.106
• Description: Animas-La Plata
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 4/4/1976
• Author: R.H. "Bob" Tyner
• Title: Prepared Statement on the Animas-La Plata Project for use in debate with Preston Ellsworth at Ft. Lewis College
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Prepared Statement on
ANIMAS-LA PALTA PROJECT
by R~H. "Bob" Tyner
for use in debate with Preston Ellsworth
At Room 153 Administration Building, Fort Lewis College
7:30 Wednesday, April 4, 1976

Page
population growth............................................................ 1
Environmental impacts........................................................ 2
Downstream boating........................................................ 2
Fishery................................................................... 2
Salinity.................................................................. 2
Big game.................................................................. 2
Indian involvement........................................................... 3
Energy impacts............................................................... 3
Consumption.................. ....................... ...................... 3
Production.................................. .............................. 3
Municipal and industrial water uses.......................................... 4

Durango service area...................................................... 4
Method of cost allocation................................................. 5
Indus tr ial water........... ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Agriculture.................................................................. 5
Present development....................................................... 5
proj ect development....................................................... 6
Potential Shift of water to other uses.................................... 6

Reallocation of water..... ..... ...... .........................;........ 6
Subdivision of agricultural land....................................... 6
Subsidy of irrigation water............................................... 7
Economic impacts............................................................. 7
Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

ISSUES

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Population Growth
.1 would like to lead off by giving my own personal views regarding growth in
Durango. I feel that the very things that make Durango an attractive place to
live also make it vulnerable to growth. It is located in a beautiful valley with
green belts on all sides. However, being in a narrow valley as it is, it has only
one north-south traffic artery. This will definitely have a limiting effect on
the population that can continue to experience a good life style. Secondly, being
in a narrow valley makes Durango vulnerable to air pollution.
For these reasons, I feel that the people of Durango should be very cautious
in promoting activities that will stimulate rapid growth.
Purgatory, Tamarron and the new jet airport are each wonderful additions to
our community but cummulatively they are adding rapidly to our population. The
Animas-La Plata Project, like these projects, will also add to our growth.
Based on data from other Bureau of Reclamation projects, that agency has es-
timated a peak population influx to La Plata County during the eighth year of pro-
ject construction of about 3,700 people, of which about 1,000 would be of school
age. This will obviously have a heavy impact on housing traffic, schools, police
protection and other community services.
At the Durango Chamber of Commerce retreat in pagosa on March 16 and 17, that
group recommended that the Animas Regional Planning Commission and its staff be

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