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<br />NOW-11-99 10:45 AM TRENT J TAYLOR <br /> <br />9705883495 <br /> <br />P.02 <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />REDMESA WARD RESERVOIR AND DITCH COMPANY <br />1290 COUNTY ROAD 102 <br />HESPERUS, COLORADO 81326 <br />970-588-3495 <br /> <br />Mov 11, 1999 <br /> <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />721 Centennial Building <br />1313 Sherman st., Rm. 721 <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br /> <br />Dear Board Members: <br /> <br />I am sending this letter as a follow-~p to the September board <br />meeting where the feasibility study and construction loan for the <br />Redmesa Ward Reservoir (Redmesa) Rehabilitation and Enlargement <br />project were diicussed. <br /> <br />The Redmesa Reservoir board regrets that so much time has passed <br />since the feasibility study was started and authorization for a <br />construction loan was received. We respectfully request that a <br />decision concerning deauthorization of our project and repayment ~ <br />of the feasibility study loan be postponed for one year. .., <br /> <br />There are two substantial hurdles that the Redmesa project has <br />already overcome. These would be hard to duplicate should our <br />project be deauthorized and new authorization applied for in the <br />future. <br /> <br />1. In its Biological Opinion dated April 25, 1996, the U.S. <br />Fish and Wildlife Service has allowed Redmesa's enlargement <br />project an additional 997 acre feet of depletion from the <br />San Juan River in the Recovery Implementation Program for <br />endangered species. Should the Redmesa project be <br />deauthorized now, it would be very difficult if not <br />impossible to be receive this depletion allowance again in <br />the future. <br /> <br />2. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued the reservoir <br />company a 404 permit ('199575042), dated February 24, 1997 <br />to proceed with this project. This permit is in effect <br />until of October 31, 2001 and does allows for time <br />extensions. <br /> <br />Because of the recent changes made to the Animas/La Plata water <br />project (total elimination of irrigation water, etc.) there is <br />currently a water study being conducted in our area by Wright ~ <br />Water Engineers to look at the alternative small projects that .., <br />could be done in this area instead of Animas/La Plata. This <br />study is looking at the current water situation in the entire La <br />Plata River basin and will make recommendations for future <br />irrigation, domestic and livestock uses. <br />