LEG00188

• Bill Number: HJR04-1009
• Year: 2004
• Title: Concerning analysis of the impacts of diversions of water out of the Arkansas river basin
• Legislation - Doc Type: Other CWCB Related Bills - Killed

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Colorado; and

WHEREAS, The waters of the Arkansas river provide excellent
recreational opportunities, from the one hundred forty-eight-mile-long
Arkansas headwaters recreation area, which stretches from Leadville to
Lake Pueblo, to the newly-opened John Martin reservoir state park near
Las Animas; and

WHEREAS, Engineers and scientists from Colorado state
university are conductlllg ongoing research on water quality and
agricultural production in the Arkansas valley; and

WHEREAS, Colorado is currently involved in a lawsuit with the
state of Kansas over the use of the water of the Arkansas river; and

WHEREAS, The Arkansas river is one of the most
over-appropriated rivers in the state of Colorado; and

WHEREAS, The Fryingpan-Arkansas project was designed as a
mitigated trans basin water transfer project to bring water from the
western slope for the beneficial use of the people ofthe Arkansas river
basin while also benefitting the people of the western slope; and

WHEREAS, The entire state of Colorado has an interest in the
long-term sustainability of the recreational, municipal, industrial, and
agricultural uses of the waters of the Arkansas river; and

WHEREAS, Diverting water from the Arkansas river basin has the
potential to create serious enVIronmental and economic impacts that could
degrade the quality of life of people throughout the state of Colorado;
now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty-fourth
General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring
herein: __

That the general assembly of the state of Colorado urges the
federal bureau of reclamation to conduct a full environmental and
economic impact study to make sure that all foreseeable consequences are
investigated before any long-term contracts are executed that would allow
for the transfer of water away from its original intended uses that
currently or in future vears were intended to benefit the people of the
Arkansas valley and the people of the state of Colorado.

Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be
provided to the eastern Colorado area office and the great plains regional
office of the bureau of reclamation, the lower Arkansas river water
conservancy district, the southeastern Colorado water conservancy
district, the upper Arkansas water conservancy district, and the members
of Colorado's congressional delegation.

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1009