PROJ01852

• Contract/PO #: C150026
• Contractor Name: Ute Water Conservancy District
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 72
• County: Mesa
• Bill Number: SB 99-173
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

To:

Lee Carlson

Peter Evan~

STATE OF COLORA.DO

MEMORANDUM ~
DEPARTMENT OF
NATURAL
RESOURCES

OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 718
Denver. Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
TDD: [phone]
FAX: U01) 8&b-2115

From:

Roy Rumer
Covernor

,,,mes S. Lochhead
Executive Direclor

Date: May 22, 1996

Ronald W. Call,lOY
Deputy Director

Re: PREPARATION FOR 5/23 MEETING wI UTE WeD AND BLM

Since it appears we may not be able to talk prior to tomorrow's meeting with the Core
Group concerning the informal Section 7 consultation on the Ute Water Conservancy District's
proposed pipeline project, and since I will not be able to attend that meeting, 1 want to forward
the attached copy of a BLM memo for your review in advance of that meeting. 1 !"lave spoken
with Dave Stevens and got the impression BLM was very disturbed by your meeting. Larry
Clever was very upset also and was preparing a written response when he provided me with a
copy of the BLM memo. I think they will be wanting you to discuss your meeting with BLM
and the appearance that FWS departed within a few hours from the approach discussed with and
settled upon by the Core Group at its May 9 meeting. 1 have also spoken with Mike Gross and
Bill Green, who caution that the BLM memo may be indicative of a major misunderstanding.
I have reviewed Marty Miller's first draft summary of the Core Group agreements to date,
and Bill Green will be able to present our suggestions at the meeting tomorrow. I have also
reviewed the draft outline distributed yesterday by Larry Clever for the staged project concept. I
still have some questions about the specific numbers, but 1 believe this draft falls within the
range of our May 9 discussion. I hope the FWS will be able to consult on the historic depletion
plus a new depletion of 1500 acre feet (or 3000 acre feet, if Ute can wait until the 5 conditions
specified in the 4/5/96 assessment of sufficient progress are completed) with relative ease by
relying upon the Recovery Program to provide the necessary components for a reasonable and
prudent alternative.
I look forward to hearing from you after the meeting, and hope the Core Group continues
to make good progress toward its goal.

Attachment
cc: Catherine Robertson, Dave Stevens
Brent Uilenberg
Larry Clever
Eric Kuhn, Mike Gross

I
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Board of Land Commissioners. Division of Minerals & Geology/Geological Survey
Oil & Gas Conservation Commission. Colorado State Parks. Soil Conservation Board
Water Conservation Board. Division of Water Resources. Division of Wildlife