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<br />I <br /> <br />During March, the Dolores River study team, consisting of representatives <br />of the Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, the <br />Forest Service and the Colorado Water Conservation Board was formed to <br />conduct a study and prepare the report. The role of our staff is to <br />share in the study and coordinate the input from other state agencies. <br />In addition, we prepared the drafts of water resources and water quality <br />sections of the report. <br /> <br />Other governmental organizations, including the Bureau of Reclamation <br />and the Southwestern Water Conservation District, concerned citizen <br />groups and citizens are participating in the study process. Actual <br />recommendations resulting from this study effort will be made by the <br />national-state policy group, composed of the governor of COlorado, the <br />Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture or their <br />designees. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />The study team will submit the study results, including suitability and <br />classification findings, to the national-state policy group in Washington, <br />D. C. on August 4, 1975 for their review. If consensus cannot be <br />achieved by members of the group, separate views will be expressed in <br />the report. <br /> <br />Before we discuss any actual study findings, we should note the study <br />team's philosophy toward the Dolores project. The study team has taken <br />the position that, as far as it is concerned, the Dolores project is <br />already a reality. The study team feels that congressional intent is <br />clear; Congress does not want the Dolores project delayed. <br /> <br />The study team has nearly completed its investigation and has compiled <br />the facts and analyses that will be presented to the national-state <br />policy group in Washington, D. C. It has made some working conclusions <br />and identified classification alternatives. We would like to discuss <br />the staff's recommendations, which we feel are likely to be supported <br />by the national-state policy group. They are: <br /> <br />Segment one - the Dolores River above Rico is not eligible for inclusion <br />in the national wild and scenic river system because of short length <br />and lack of outstandingly remarkable values. <br /> <br />Segment two - the West Dolores River is eligible and should be classified <br />"recreational" because it possesses some outstandingly remarkable scenic <br />values in its upper reaches. <br /> <br />Segment three is eligible for inclusion into the national wild and <br />scenic river system because of outstandingly remarkable scenic, geo- <br />logical, cultural and historic values. The portion from the proposed <br />McPhee damsite to the bridge at Bradfield's Ranch should be classified <br />"recreational." The portion from the bridy,e at Bradfield's Ranch to <br />Disappointment Creek should be classified 'scenic." The portion from <br />Disappointment Creek to the bridge in Little Gypsum Valley should be <br />classified "scenic." <br /> <br />Segment four, the Dolores River below its confluence with the San Miguel <br /> <br />-33- <br />