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<br />presented an almost impossible requirement for our district. But,
<br />fortunately, Pete: was: persuasive and convinced the Corps of Engineers
<br />and the Federal Fish and wildlife Service that by making small impound-
<br />ments that would catch the water when it receded during drawdoWn, that
<br />that would be equivalent to the w~tland~ that we were losing. so, again,
<br />I want to thank Pete for his help.
<br />
<br />. . I
<br />The final problem is that we do not yet have a permit from the Forest
<br />Service, on whose land the project will be built, And even, though a.
<br />year ago the Forest Service did sign off on the project, they have had
<br />second thoughts and felt that the environmental analysis report that. '
<br />. they signed off on a year,.'ago,-c-they ,have:no~ .toJd'-me cthatth~y thought it
<br />was rather superficial and that p~rhaps we would have difficulty getting
<br />a permit to go in there this spring. Well, the local supervisor has
<br />asked me if I couldn't get support, not only from our. congressional
<br />delegation, which should be easy to do and which I have taken steps to
<br />obtain, but they want a positive support .from some' of the environmental
<br />organizations. And, of course, that is not easy--to get support from
<br />the environmental people for the ,construction of a dam.. But, I think, I
<br />will be ~ble to do that,' because the, project will pr9vide minimum stream-
<br />flows, and organizations like Trout Uhlimi~ed" I think, will support it.
<br />
<br />So that is about where we are, Larry, and I think. we, are going to ge~ it
<br />built this summer, at least get it started.
<br />
<br />MR. SPARKS: ',This subject of the'smaller reservoirs like John is talking
<br />about, although 9,000 acre-feet is a Iairly substantial reservoir~-it~
<br />is about as large in size as some of our Reclamation projects that we have
<br />had in the state in past years. , In view of the great difficult~ that. we
<br />are having at the federal level, we have been talking to the Bureau of
<br />Reclamation, and other federal agencies about greater state participation
<br />in water projects throughout the state. One very good field, that we have
<br />not really utilized to any great extent yet in ColoradO is the Small
<br />Reclamation Projects Act. So far, we have secured about .three or four
<br />loans under the provisions of that Act. If we get adequate state, funding,
<br />we should be able to utilize that Act to a far greater extent, because
<br />by coming JlP .wi th a substantial amount of. ,state funding, we move these,
<br />projects. into what the Bureau calls "Category I," Which means less review
<br />and quicker approval by the Congress. And that Act now--what does that
<br />go to, Nick, $20 million?
<br />
<br />MR. IOANNIDES: Yes.
<br />
<br />MR. SPARKS: Congress has raised. the limit on that to ~here you c~n get
<br />up to $20 million from the Small Reclamation Projects Act. If we get
<br />adequate ,state, funding, as we're hoping to do through Senate Bill ,325,
<br />this means we could still have a good state and federal partnership
<br />outside of the regular Bureau of Reclamation routine.
<br />
<br />I
<br />
<br />Today, if we start .a new project under the regular Reclamation Act,
<br />we'r~ talking about a good lO to 15 years-before we can ever bring that
<br />proje~t to reality~ if ever., So we have to look at other means.
<br />
<br />.
<br />Th'is is the reason we are exploring this with the Bureau of Reclamation,
<br />
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