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~ECFIVFD ~'=~~_~ ~; ~~iD~ ~da 1+~ter c-orF~;raae,: .~~~. ~ TI3E SO[]THWE5TER1~ WATER CONSERVATIUN DISTRICT A Municipa] flistrict Drganizad Und~ State t..aw Frn D~-+elopmerit And Conserva;ion ~#"I'#~e Watea-s in the SA1V NAN AND DQLQRES RIVERS AND THEIR TRIBUTARIES 1N SOUTHWESTERI~i C~LQRAD~ West Buildiung - 841 East Secc~nd Avenue DURANGD, COLQRADO S13Q1 (970} 247-13D2 - ~'ax (97D~59-8423 Apri~ 16, 2[f09 Rege Leach, Divisian Engineer w&~8I' ~1V1S14i1 ~ ~ol~rado ~ivisian ~f Water Resow~~es 1b0 Rvckpoint Drive, Suite E Durango, CQ $13g 1 RE: Animas-La P~ata Projec# Dear Mr. Lea~h: Diversi~ns fnr the Animas-La Plata Praject (ALP} ha~e heen studied and anticipated far decades. The coaperati~e efiFart forged hy long time pa~erships among tribal and nan- tribal entities, as weZ~ as the federaI and sia.te go~vernments, will sflon pay aff. Many water cnurt a~tians have taken ~lace tv pratect and maintain the ALP water rights ariginally c~ecreed. to the Southwestern Water Canservation Bistriet in CiviI A~ion Nv. B-1751 for the Animas River and Case No. C-807 an the La Plata Rive~r, with an appropriation date of September 2, 1938. Tt~e Ute Indian Finia~ Wa.t~r Rights Settlement of I988 ~inged on cvnstruction af the pr~ject. After a gra~undbrealting f~r the prajec# in l 994's, a lawsuit was filed regax~ding envirvnme~ntal cnmp~iance, and canstructian of #he praject was p~t an hold. Ur~fortunately, the original project was downsized and the irrigation cort~ponent was remaved in a negotiated settle~ment, but the Co~orado Ute Settlement Act of 2~da a~lawed the prvject ta mav~ forward with ~onstruction of the re- configured pmjec# beginning in 2~~1. Ouer 7~ years ha~e passed firvm ihe initial apprapz~i.ation date for the water night in l 938, and the Colorado features of the Anixnas- La P~ata Project are now nearly c~mplete. Therefare, it is with great p~easwe that the Sou#,~western Water Cvt~servation District, in cooperation witl~ the LTnited States Sureau af Reclamation, is ~rnviding official notafication to your office af the intent to begin diversivns frvm the Anirnas River for #h~ fil~ing of Lake Nightharse, the primary ALP st~rage feature. The Bureau af Reclamation will v~ersee the initial fxlling of th~ reservoir and r~cvrds of di~ersians and starage will be proviaed ta your of6ce as needed..