WSP11547

• File Number: 8220.116.I
• Description: Fruitland Mesa Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Gunnison
• Water Division: 4
• Date: 10/7/1976
• Title: Public Hearing - Draft Environmental Statement - Crawford-Colorado October 7-1976 - ‎(Part 1 of 2)‎
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: EIS

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generation capaoity by the loss of the water that would other-

wise be routed through the Curecanti unit of the Gunnison River

Project. Now, the astimates that were submitted by the Bureau

of Reclamation is, there would be a power 108s and there is

some conflict of twenty million kilowatt hours in the ~~rro

Point and Blue Mesa Dam and six million in the crystal Dam.

There's another statement that the total power loss would amount

to some twenty-one million kilowatt hours. Now, this isn't

just the upper basin. This does inolude the power 10s8 through

the other lower dams on the Colorado River. I think if that

factor were also considered, you could double or triple this

amount. It seems to me, at this point in time, this nation is

experiencing more of a power shortage than they are a food

shortage, and it seems to me that the diversion of water for

production of additional surplus food at the expense of a

commodity that has become more and more important, that is

energy, is very ill-advised at this point. in time. Now certainl

in an environmental aspect the wildlife has been mentioned in

passing~ Now wildlife is something that arouses gut feelings

among many peoplQ., It also arouses economic consequences. The

Division of Wildlife has estimated that an elk is worth some-

wherG between three and five thousand dollars, depending on the

amount of income generated by that elk being harvested, which

is an additional economic lOBS that one would have to weigh in

the equation. The deer have been evidencing anteady decline