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<br />In Loga.'-'lCounty if Dam"" ?
<br />Is Built, Say Engineers s'.-t~\~
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<br />The proposed Narrows dam WOUld] IEngineers at th~hea.ring disCIOSed""l the location farther west would
<br />Increase the amount of irrigation some of the details of the proposed better serve irrigation needs by aJ.
<br />water available to existing irrigation 'dam. It would cost an estimated 32 lowing the existing Weldon valley
<br />syst.ems 1n Logan and other dOWP,.. million dollars. At its highest point ~ project to remain undisturbed and
<br />stream counties;- accord1ng'-t(j~ DfSiY' .in the middle of the South; Platte mBke more . land available down.
<br />trlct Manager .J. H. Knights of the ,river, the dam would be 147 f-eet stream within Colorado borders..
<br />bureau of reclamation. hIgh. It becomes gradually less in This, Rolfson said, is pmely an en.'
<br />Knights ga.ve -this' ImpressIon to heIght for abo':1t 3,000 f~et on eac:h glneering poInt that he prefers "to'
<br />wary farmers 'attending' the after 'side of the hlghes~ pomt and III let the engineers decide."
<br />noon session of the public hearings jreal1ty bec?mes a dIke of about 50 ----~---' ----~-.
<br />called by the Colorado Water Con- feet in.,-helght on both. wIngs, In-
<br />oServatlon board Friday afternoon in eluding ,the long south wmg that ex-
<br />Sterling. tends a c r 0 oS oS Bijou creek. Total
<br />Replying to questions concernIng length would be nearly 35,000 feet.
<br />"multiple fJllings" which periodi- The dam would impound 700,000
<br />cally l'eplenish wR'ter supplies at acre feet of water plus a.dditional
<br />. many Northeast Colorado reserva-' space to impound 818,000 ~cre feet.
<br />volrs during sum mer months more as surcha-rged space in the I
<br />Knights pointed out that all wate~ event o~ a "super-flood" or further
<br />rights are subject to priorities and water dIversion from upstream.
<br />senior decrees establishIng such Rolf50~ Sees Advantages ,
<br />rghts. He suggested that aU reser- C?nstru~tlo~ of another dam for,
<br />voir owners would be wise to try to stOrIng l~nga.tion water on th~ ~outh
<br />get court decrees establ1shing such Pla.tte rIver would be benefICial to
<br />rights as soon as possible., farmers who have ~and along the
<br />I . ~ Platte vally, according to Cha.rles
<br />Must Recogmze Rights M. Rolfson of Julesburg, Mtorney
<br />"If such a rig h t Is established and fonner director of the North.
<br />prior to the building of Narrows ern ColoradO Water Conservancy
<br />dam. then the rIght will be recog. district.
<br />nized and multiple fillings allowed, The whole problem of the Nar.
<br />because the dam must be operated roWs- dam controversy canters pr1.
<br />l under Colorado law," Knights saId., marlly around the location of th,'
<br />It is believed that there have as dam and whether or not the bene;..
<br />yet been no court decisIons either I fits justify the cost, Rolfson, told
<br />refusing to recognIze or actually [I the Advocate. .
<br />recognIzing the common pradlce of I' WhIle not actively supporting the
<br />"multiple filling" as a rIght in Colo. ,Narrows dam project near Weldona
<br />rado. : to the exclusion of any other dam
<br />The normal river run which a+w ,site, RolIson believes there 19 no
<br />aids in supplying water during tJb.f!. jquesUon that the addltional dam
<br />~m" mo' _ . ."_.~_ ~w _"" ~~ -
<br />continue after construction 0, f ~e; Northeast Colorado land under Irri-
<br />dam. Knights said. He pointed o~~ gation east of the dam. He also
<br />that this would be done by meas -,.- pointed out that exls.t1ng irrigation
<br />Ing the water coming Into the Nar- Isystems a. Ion g the Platte valley I
<br />rows reservoir and allowing the could use more water than Is pre.
<br />same amount.J.g:cont1p'~e t.hJ;9~gh ,sently a'vaUable. ,
<br />'the'Splltv.;dys:. ''}1:'' _ Irrigation Value Great-est I
<br />;GiU 'Favors Plan The Ju~esburgh lawyer,. who .l~ 1\
<br />. 'also preSIdent of IrrlgatlOn D1I.
<br />The proJect seemed to have strong tl'lct No 64 thinks the irrigation
<br />support from those attending ~he values w.ould be much greater than
<br />I St€rHng me e t 1 n g. The Sterhng the ,flood control advantages of the I
<br />Chamber of Commerce announced 'project. Irrigation Disti'lct No. 64 \
<br />Its support or construction plans for :1ncludes a11" the Platte valley from a.
<br />I a. dam_ "so~ewhere on the South !point about halfway between Merino
<br />Platte rIver. .' and Hillrose to the Nebraska state
<br />. State Senator F. L. 0111 of HIll. Une.
<br />I rose was present, supportlllg the The legal point that. waters from
<br />plan on behalf of the Li?wer 'platte . the western slope drainmg into the
<br />I and Bea'Ver Canal irrigatIon dIStrict, . Platte must be caught and used In
<br />of which he Is seCl'~tary. ; Colorado to prevent invalidation of
<br />Gill stated that his group favors the- Colorado River compact is also
<br />construction of a dam to prevent ! well taken and should be considered,
<br />, the waste of South Plate water, aid . Rolfson said. This does not mean;
<br />'in preventing droutl)s, provide flood 'however, that waters must be caught
<br />1 regulation at lower: cost that from i at any particular point, he added. .
<br />! many more. .smaller dams, ~nd, to I Believes Project Expensive
<br />ca'tch the BlJOU cre~k floods which The Narrows dam project would
<br />'are normally S? full {of ~~ay as to be be very ex pen s 1 v e, In Rolfson's
<br />worthless for rrrlgation. 'opinion, because two or thrE"e small
<br />GIll also stated that his group towns and a railroad would ha-ve
<br />I bdieves existing water rights must to be moved, and a great deal of
<br />'1 be respected and that all users or expensive lrrigated farm land pur.
<br />existing reservoirs should get court chased.
<br />I decrees for "multiple f1l11ngs." While disclaiming expert engf.
<br />Dam Details Disclosed neerlng knowledge, Rolfson said it
<br />I The state senator also said It was possible that the Weldon valley
<br />I ttable that any commu- . farmers might have ~ point in their,
<br />was regre contention .that location of the dam'
<br />. nity should be llooded\out by a'dam . farther upst.ream than the Narrows I
<br />i- and lake, but that it Is sometimes I site might better serve irrilratlnn:
<br />':'nece~~,.~~!3gmlt4~:~ mB.ke , purposes. The Weldon farmers say!
<br />'; .brlfiCl!"'~llln'!,Ili""il1roups.
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