BOARD00245

• Board Meeting Date: 9/19/1991
• Description: Agenda or Table of Contents, Minutes, Memos
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

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Mr. David Walker
June 11, 1991
Page Two

multi-faceted benefits to the area's citizenry.

The project's site is totally within the boundaries of the Grand
Mesa National Forest. Personnel from the regional and district
offices were invited to a committee meeting during which the
permitting requirements were discussed. While it was determined that
a full peqni t process would be necessary, it was also indicated that
we could expect the full cooperation of the agency in the process. It
was also determined that a conditional use permit for the installation
of a stream gauging station on Buzzard Creek could be reviewed and
approved at the local level. That permit application has been
submitted, and the device should be in place very soon. Battlement
Mesa and Ute Water have jointly funded the costs of securing and
installing this measuring station.

Because the Bureau of Reclamation has conducted numerous water
project studies in the immediate subject area, including studies which
are site-specific, they were invited to attend the meetings. We asked
if they could provide a compilation of existing data. Again, the
general response was one of cooperation. The range of assistance was
from, at the very least, making the information available for .our
review, to some technical assistance in the analysis, utilization and
expansion of the data, and even the possibility of some financia~.aid
in the project's construction. It was as a result of these
discussions, that you received a . Draft. letter addressed to the
Bureau's Regional Director requesting technical support and financial
assistance on behalf of the cOmmittee. While it might prove to be
appropriate in the future for us to seek the support of a federal
agency through the endorsement of a state agency, it would be
premature to do so at this time, and we do apologize for the confusion
it may have caused.

Until we can determine, to our own satisfaction, that this
project is worthy of construction consideration, we will pursue one
step at a time with our own resources and the "in kind time"
contributions of any other group or organization willing to lend
technical expertise. When and if it is determined that the project
can supplement our ever-increasing water demands in a favorable cost
benefit ratio, we will submit our findings and conclusions to all the
appropriate agencies along with solicitation for assistance and
financial support for the final feasibility, environmental
assessments, design considerations and construction.