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-4- <br />depletions, but rather delays a decision on that based on monitoring as it relates to established <br />baselines. <br />Second, the Forest Service should commit, in writing, to Colorado and Wyoming, that it will <br />abide by its earlier commitments to establish a baseline, against which impacts, including channel <br />stability, of past and future vegetation management will be measured. This must be done for the <br />South Platte Basin. The work done to date may be adequate to address the North Platte basin, <br />although I do not know if it adequately establishes a baseline to satisfy our friends in Wyoming. <br />This letter should also commit to monitor the impacts of vegetative management, on an annual basis, <br />at the very least. Without establishing a baseline, and measuring against the baseline, it cannot be <br />known what impacts vegetative management has on water flows in the Platte River system. <br />Finally, the Forest Service could commit in this letter to continue to work with the State on <br />its Healthy Forests Initiative, as that has direct impacts related to this issue. <br />I have been attempting to set up a meeting between Russ and Rick Gables, and I understand <br />that Russ may be riding in a car together next week, along with Undersecretary Tenney. Therefore, I <br />wanted to give you a very short briefing in this regard. I am available for questions by email, or <br />otherwise, over the weekend, and next week. Please let me know how you would like to proceed. <br />Flood Protection • Water Project Planning and Finance • Stream and Lake Protection <br />Water Supply Protection • Conservation Planning