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<br /> <br />UEBLACKER ASSOCIA TES <br /> <br />CONSUL riNG ENGINEERS, GEOLOGISTS, CONSTRUCTORS <br />600 South Carr Street <br />p~ 04 Box 260880 <br />LBkewood~ Colorado 80226-0880 U~ S4A~ - <br /> <br />Phone/Fax: ++303-988-9489 or 303-279-0156, e-mail: hueblacker@ao1.com <br /> <br />October 20, 2003 <br /> <br />The Honorable Bill Owens <br />Governor, State of Colorado <br />State Capitol Building <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br /> <br />Subject: Colorado's Need for Safe and Dependable Emergency High-Altitude <br />Water Storage <br /> <br />Dear Governor Owens: <br /> <br />Referendum A Arguments fail to address the real issues and concerns facing Colorado in <br />developing new or enlarging existing storage facilities~ Given the facts that most of our <br />existing dams are unsafe to pass. the probable maximum flood (p:rvIF) or withstand the <br />maximum credible earthquake (MCE), Colorado desperately needs dependable <br />emergency storage not only for long-term drought protection but also to safeguard against <br />natural and man~made disasters. <br /> <br />For example, Taylor Park Da.m, a 206-foot high zoned earthfil1 embankment completed <br />in 1937 located on Taylor River, about 32 miles northeast of Gunnison, Colorado could <br />fail as a result from overtopping in the event of an earthquake or flood. According to <br />recent US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) studies, the dam can currently only safely pass <br />54 % of the PMF and its foundation may liquefy during an earthquake, if the peak <br />horizontal acceleration (pHi\.) exceeds O.lg. If Taylor Park Dam fails as a result of a <br />hydrologic condition, it could have impacts on Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, and Crystal <br />Dams. High loss of life is expected in the event of an overtopping failure of Taylor Park <br />Dam due to the high population at risk dovmstream in Gumrison. Pueblo Reservoir and <br />its proposed enlargement are another USBR facility that could fail if the dam were <br />overtopped by only 55% ofP~. <br /> <br />Established J 969 <br />Serving Clients Around The World <br />