Minutes of South Platte River Basin Flood Control Investigation Meeting

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Mr. Gardner recommended that a South Platte River basin study be made under the guidance of the Colorado Water Conservation Board in cooperation with State and Federal agencies, which would present the amount of surface water in the basin, the water demand and locations therefore and areas of water shortages. All future conservation projects could then be planned to meet the water short- ages outlined in the basin report. Mr. Sparks stated the Board was going to adopt the position that no damage can occur to downstream irrigators if the outlets in a reservoir are ungated. Under certain conditions, however, this can be modified. Uogtheddownstreameir flood cause damages t irrigators, thus they usually agree to the control of flood flows. Mr. McCrimmon asked if the damages on the South Platte River due to Sand Creek floods were considered by the Corps. The reply was "yes ". Mr. Sparks spoke on the tendency to include recreation in all project planning. The State Game and Fish Department has been able to justify, or build, projects with water for recreational use j especially in eastern Colorado. Possibly a small amount of dead storage, 500 to 1000 acre feet accruing during flood periods or winter months, could be included in reservoirs on Sand Creek. Mr. Gardner said there is a new concept in.Federal plan- ning of projects which permits evaluation of recreation use of a project. Benefits for recreation may be estimated based upon the value of a visitor -a -day. However, they are not sure who pays for the cost of will providing no recreationl features of a the near future. A determination Mr. Sparks stated the Game and Fish Department can often pay for inclusion of a conservation pool in a reservoir for recrea- tional use• with planning should also with coordinated h the Federal Fish and Wildlife. Mr. Berry said that Denver is vitally interested and con- cerned about flood control on Sand Creek, the South Platte River, and in other areas surrounding Denver. Some areas in Denver are flooded from drainage originating outside Denver he stated. Denver is also interested in the effect of projects on.Sand Creek on the South Platte water rights because Denver often must repay these irri- gators for water borrowed by the city. Mr. May expressed appreciation for attending the meeting and learning that plans for flood control in the region were being made. He stated that Denver has much information which might be of assistance in the project studies which is available to the various groups making the studies. He assured the meeting of the coopera- tion of the City and County of Denver. -5-