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<br />6 <br /> <br />Also, seek earliest-possible construction starts of Fruitland Mesa and <br />Savery-Pot Hook. Authorizations are a carunitment of Federal ftmding, <br />anticipating 100 percent payback to the Federal treasury, and those com- <br />mitments should be honored for the benefit of Colorado and the nation. <br /> <br />2. Build The Narrows Unit <br /> <br />The Narrows Unit was authorized by Congress in the Flood Control Act of <br />19M.. Preconstruction activities began in 1947. A number of studies of <br />alternative damsites were conducted over the years and, in 1970, Congress <br />re-authorized Narrows. <br /> <br />There is continuing debate and controversy over where the dam and reservoir <br />should be located - to the point that hard decisions to go ahead with <br />construction didn't come until 1975. Land acqui.sition and relocation of <br />highways and railroads began. The project was abruptly stopped in the <br />Hit List actions of 1977, and currently remains in that posture. <br /> <br />Narrows is badly needed, not only to increase the productivity of the <br />Central and Lower South Platte Basins, but to provide domestic and indus- <br />trial water supplies and to give the residents of the mushrooming Front <br />Range metropoli.ses a much-needed new outdoor recreation facility. <br /> <br />Furthermore, Narrows is needed to provide much-needed flood control on <br />the somet:iJnes-destructive South Platte River, and to provide better man- <br />agement of Colorado's water entitlements. <br /> <br />Action Agenda Recommendation: See\{ support in Congress. and the Administra- <br />tion for at least nominal land acquisition ftmds in the Fiscal 19S3 budget, <br />so that a commitment to complete the project is clear. Narrows is too <br />large to be ftmded through the Colorado Water Conservation Board, and its <br />predominantly-irrigation revenues payback probably would be insufficient <br />to float revenue bonds under the aegis of the proposed Colorado Water and <br />Power Authority. Narrows probably will not be built unless the Federal <br />Government gets on with it rather soon. <br /> <br />3. Build the Two Forks Dam and Reservoir <br /> <br />Metropolitan Denver badly needs another major dam and reservoir to store <br />both surplus water which occasionally flows in the South Platte River, and <br />water diverted through the Roberts Tunnel from the Western Slope. <br /> <br />A dam just below the confluence of the North and South Forks of the South <br />Platte River has been proposed since 1905. The Denver Water Department <br />acquired a right-of-way to utilize Federal lands for the reservoir in 1931. <br />And, in 1974, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (now the Water and Power <br />Resources Service) conducted a feasibility repoYG which showed that the dam <br />and reservoir would enjoy a favorable benefit-COilt ratio if it were built <br />as a multi-purpose project including not only mWlicipal water storage, but <br />also extensive hydroelectric power generation. ,In enormous recreation <br />potential also was recognized. <br />