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<br />. Promotine Coll~horMion ~ncl CooperHtion <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />a. Multiple Needs - Since the project will not change historic water use patterns or quantities, <br />there will be no impact on consumptive use. The project is intended to protect existing <br />water supplies which benefit a range of interests. These interests include direct beneficiaries <br />such as the irrigators, and, less directly, those who use the reservoirs for recreation; fish, <br />vegetation and wildlife that depend on the reservoirs and the steady stream flow that results <br />from summer releases; other businesses in the community which rely on a stable local <br />agricultural economy and anyone downstream who would be impacted by loss of either the <br />reservoir storage or its operational capabilities. Paonia reservoir is an important storage <br />facility in the lower Gunnison River basin with the potential to provide water for the <br />increasing augmentation demands and for protection from the increasing likelihood of <br />downstream calls. <br /> <br />b. <br /> <br />Cooperative Considerations - The project is being sponsored jointly by the North Fork <br />Water Conservancy District (NFWCD) and the Fire Mountain Canal and Reservoir <br />Company (FMCC). However, as described above, a number of other entities will benefit <br />from these efforts and, as much as possible, the support and cooperation of other entities <br />will be solicited. Study of the Paonia Reservoir sedimentation issue will likely include <br />evaluations which are either the first of their kind in Colorado or extend to include new <br />magnitudes in scope and, as a result, will provide a basis for considering sediment <br />management needs at other Colorado storage facilities with similar sedimentation <br />difficulties. Although many ofthe technical considerations will be independent of the <br />Colorado location, other elements such as regulatory requirements, environmental factors, <br />climatic issues and geologic conditions may include uniquely Colorado aspects. <br /> <br />F~ci1itatine W~ter Activity Implementation <br /> <br />c. Project Viability - The financial resources of the project sponsors are very limited. This is <br />because revenue is primarily derived from farm ventures. Without this, or other funding <br />support, it will be necessary to stretch the project years into the future, considerably reduce <br />the scope of work or abandon the mitigation efforts. <br /> <br />d. Timing Considerations - There is no specific time frame that must be met with this project. <br />However, the consequences of continued sedimentation are serious and each year that <br />sediment is allowed to accumulate unchecked exacerbates the problem. <br /> <br />e. Completion Time - It is anticipated that the proposed project can be completed within two <br />years from start of the work. <br /> <br />f. <br /> <br />Technical Ability - The project work will be led by Western Engineers, Inc. Western <br />Engineers has specialized in water resource development and, in particular, earthfill dams, <br />since 1952 and has considerable experience in the Western Colorado and Eastern Utah <br />region on numerous dam projects. Consultation will be solicited from experts in the areas of <br />