Hearing on HR 3881: Testimony of Steve Arveschoug

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Local Commitment to the PSOP and H.R. 3881 - -At the present time, the District has secured the participation of twenty (20) communities and water providers within the District, representing the 680,000 constituents of the District, for the implementation of the PSOP. These entities have signed agreements with the District requesting 38,300 acre -feet of re- operations contract storage and 69,775 acre -feet of enlargement storage. H.R. 3881 represents the first step in meeting these expectations. In order to meet their growing demands these communities need the ability to contract with Reclamation for the use of excess capacity by the year 2003. And, they need an enlargement of Pueblo Reservoir by the year 2013, and the enlargement of Turquoise Reservoir by the year 2025. This is definitely a long -range plan to provide for the future water needs of rural and urban communities within the Southeastern District. Building Consensus for the PSOP and Addressing the Issues -- Throughout the development of the PSOP and this federal legislation we have identified issues of concern that must be addressed as the PSOP is implemented. Many of those issues relate to recreation at the Fry-Ark Project's reservoirs or on the Arkansas River above and below the reservoirs. Pueblo Reservoir, the Fry -Ark Project's main storage facility (350,000 acre -feet covering 6,000 surface acres), averages over one million visitors each year to the Colorado State Park campgrounds and boating facilities. Most years Pueblo Reservoir is the most - visited state park in Colorado. In addition, the Fry-Ark Project is used to help manage flows in the upper Arkansas River to support fishing and rafting opportunities in the communities of Buena Vista and Salida, Colorado. This flow management effort is called the Upper Arkansas Flow Management Program, and for over ten years it has been a cooperative effort of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, including State Parks and the Division of Wildlife, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Arkansas River Outfitters Association, local communities in the upper Arkansas, the Southeastern District, and water - right owners from throughout the basin. Under Reclamation's leadership the Fry-Ark Project has made a tangible commitment to the fish and wildlife and recreation interests within the Arkansas River basin. And, that commitment will continue and be enhanced under the District's preferred Storage Options Plan. In working with the county commissioners in Lake County we identified the need to consider land -use and recreation issues associated with the Project's Turquoise Reservoir and Twin Lakes Reservoir. At the present time we are drafting an agreement and scope of work with Lake County to cooperatively study alternatives to enhance recreation opportunities in and around the Fry-Ark Project reservoirs that are in their county. hopeful We are also ho eful that the feasibility study of the enlargement of Turquoise that's being asked for in H.R. 3881 will address the county's questions regarding the potential impacts to recreation at Turquoise Reservoir when the reservoir is enlarged (not planned for until the year 2025). 8