Letter from Colorado River District

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RECEIVED SEP 1. 5 2010 Colorado River District Colorado Water Conservation Board Protecting Western Colorado Water Since 1937 September 13, 2010 Director(210) Via Overnight Mail Attn: Brenda Hudgens-Williams and electronic mail 1620 L Street, N.W., Suite 1075 Washington, D.C. 20036 Dear Director: Pursuant to 43 C.F.R. §1610.5-2 the Colorado River Water Conservation District ("River District") files this protest of the Bureau of Land Management's ("BLM") Wild and Scenic River suitability determinations in the Proposed Little Snake Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement ("PRMP/FEIS"). I. PROTESTANT'S MAILING ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NUMBER AND STATEMENT OF INTEREST (43 C.F.R. §1610.5-2(a)(2)(i)) Colorado River Water Conservation District P.O. Box 1120 Glenwood Springs, CO 81602 970-945-8522 The River District is a political subdivision of the State of Colorado, created pursuant to C.R.S. §37-46-101, et seq., comprised of all or parts of 15 western Colorado counties within the Colorado River basin and its principal tributaries, including the Yampa, White and Gunnison Rivers. The River District was formed in 1937 for the purpose of the conservation, use and development of the water resources of the Colorado River Basin for the benefit of all of the inhabitants of the district and is charged with safeguarding Colorado's entitlement to water under the Colorado River Compact. The River District owns multiple water rights in the Yampa River basin, including conditional water rights for reservoirs within Yampa River Segments 1-3 that have been proposed as suitable by the BLM in the PRMP/FEIS. The River District, as a water agency charged with conservation, use and development of the water resources of the State of Colorado, is concerned with both the determination of these segments as suitable and the potential designation of these three Yampa River segments as Wild and Scenic pursuant to the Wild and Scenic River Act ("WSRA"). Designation of rivers in Colorado as Wild and Scenic is often contentious principally due to potential impacts to water rights, water planning, water supplies and water facilities. Our concern is that designation pursuant to WSRA is too stringent and restrictive in its requirements, thereby reducing flexibility to meet future water demands in Colorado. We are also concerned about the requirement to 201 Centennial Street / PO Box 1120 • Glenwood Springs, CO 81602 (970) 945-8522 • (970) 945-8799 Fax www.ColoradoRiverDistrict.org