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<br />PROPOSED BLACK CANYON NATIONAL PARK AND <br />SCENIC RECREATION AREA <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Proposed Wild & Scenic Lower Gunnison River Area <br /> <br />Congressman Strang proposes to designate approximately <br />twenty-five miles of the Lower Gunnison River as a Wild and <br />Scenic River [subject to resolution or mitigation .of water right <br />cenflicts], as a unit .of the Proposed Black Can yen National Park <br />and Scenic Recreation Area. <br /> <br />Designated fer study in the Natienal Wild and Scenic <br />Rivers Act, the Lower Gunnisen River study was cempleted by the <br />National Park Service in 1979. The recommendatien was for 26 <br />miles of the Lower Gunni'son River, from the south boundary of the <br />menument te about .one mile below the confluence with the Smith <br />Fork, to be designated as a "wild" river. <br /> <br />Congressman Strang's preposal seeks to designate 25 <br />miles of the river, with the northern boundary at the confluence <br />with the Smith Fork, instead .of one mile belew it. The Smith <br />Fork provides a mere identifiable boundary. The Strang proposal <br />may also remove a pessible cenflict with Colerado Ute Electric <br />Association water rights and reservoir plans, should they be <br />develeped. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />In additien to Colorade Ute, other water rights and <br />reservoir plans are present on this portion of the river. These <br />rights are held by the City of Delta and by the Pittsburg and <br />Midway Coal Mining Cempany. These twe prepesals include <br />reserveirs that weuld floed most .of the river from the Smith Ferk <br />upstream to the northern boundary of the monument. The study <br />explains each of these conflicts and alternative designations <br />that were censidered. <br /> <br />The advisery group is asked to determine if any options <br />are available te remove these conflicts with the proposed <br />designatien. If the water rights cannet be meved, sold, traded, <br />or otherwise remeved as a conflict with designation, perhaps the <br />advisory committee ceuld recommend some other form of riverway <br />designation .or management that would insure the protection of the <br />river and receive consensus support. As an example, perhaps the <br />pert ion .of the river flowing through the menument could be <br />designated "wild" and the portion threugh the gerge designated as <br />some form .of special management area. The advisery group or the <br />public may have other suggestions. <br /> <br />***** <br /> <br />. <br />