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<br />Comments to SWSI meeting: Durango, CO, May 18, 2004. <br /> <br />P<<. 0 ~ JJl> ~r3 <br />\-16 .o-'{- <br /> <br />As a fishennan and being employed in the recreational industry, I ask that the SWSI <br />Committee, in its deliberations, please give strong consideration to the following_ <br /> <br />1. The growth that everyone is so concerned about and is attempting to plan for is the <br />result of lifestyle and quality of life aspects of our state and, in particular, SW <br />Colorado. <br />2. Both lifestyle and quality of life are, in part, defined by moving water, i.e. free <br />flowing streams and rivers: moving water in which to fish and boat, moving water <br />for wildlife and riparian areas, and moving water just for the soul. <br />3. Moving water is vital to our recreational industry statewide. Fishing and hunting <br />bring many hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to our state. We must <br />protect this industry rather than damage it through development of ill-conceived <br />storage projects. <br />4. Whenever a storage project is planned, ironclad provisions must be made for <br />protection of downstream wildlife and riparian areas. <br />5. Conservation measures must be the :first to be considered when addressing new <br />water needs. We have to get away from super green bluegrass lawns and water <br />thirsty landscaping and recognize that we live in a semi-arid land. Irrigation <br />techniques must be revised to make the most efficient use of the available water. <br />6. Everyone must recognize that recreational use of water is a beneficial use. Just <br />because a drop of water wasn't pulled out of the river or stream and used somehow <br />doesn't mean it was wasted <br /> <br />Finally, I would question why a member of the whitewater boating community was <br />omitted from the Committee. As it is, representatives of the recreation and <br />environmental communities seem to be significantly outnumbered by the traditional <br />water users. <br /> <br />Thank you for the oPPOrtunity to offer these comments. <br /> <br />Sincerely submitted, <br /> <br />Frank (Buck) Skillen <br /> <br />