Bear Creek Basin, South Platte River and Tributaries, Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska

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ENGBR SUBJECT: Bear Creek Basin, South Platte River and Tributaries, Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska to separable investment costs of $1,037,000 ($518,500 non - Federal share) . The first cost, annual charges , and ratio of benefits to costs would not be changed; however, the revised cost sharing for the water for initial filling of the recreation pool would increase the estimated non - Federal costs by $74,500, from $502,500 to $577,000. The Federal cost would be decreased by an equal amount. 13. The District and Division Engineers both recommend that the Chief of Engineers be authorized to negotiate cost - sharing agreements with the Colorado Department of Highways and the United States Bureau of Public Roads for prompt relocation of the route of highway improvements on Colorado Highway No. 70. This recommendation was made in the expectation that the reservoir project would be authorized before initiation of construction on the segment of Highway No. 70 through the reservoir area. 14. Subsequent to completion of the District and Division Engineers' reports, the Colorado Highway Department has decided that it may need to proceed with construction of the uncompleted segment of Colorado Highway No. 70 because of the urgent need for this highway improvement. In the interest of a substantial savings in public funds, it has decided to construct the highway along the alternate route outside the reservoir area. 15. The Board notes that the District Engineer estimates the additional cost of relocating the highway at $739,000, and that this relocation represents a potential savings in public funds of up to an estimated $2, 654, 000 compared to relocating the highway after its construction through the reservoir area. The Board is of the opinion that the Chief of Engineers should be specifically authorized to reim- burse the Highway Department for these added costs if construction should be initiated prior to authorization of the reservoir project. 16. Recommendations. -- Accordingly, the Board recommends that the plan of improvement for the South Platte River Basin, Colorado, approved by Section 204 of the Flood Control Act of 1950, be modified to include construction of a dam and reservoir on Bear Creek, a tributary of the South Platte River in Colorado, for flood control,