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<br /> <br />1 08: 10 <br /> <br />71 94813452 <br /> <br />PAGE 02 <br /> <br />excessive by.pass flow volumes used to jusdty this unsustainable double filling would <br />seriously hatlll fish growth and safe fishing. In fact, the refill's unspoken political <br />purpose is to create a paper battier against storage of state entitled l'IUloffs at high <br />a1tltude for drought and growth needs of multiple river basiDB. <br /> <br />The proposed Colorado bypass flow rights for kayakers are another landmark threat to <br />headwater storage and conservation of western WAter supplies, Hopefully, western <br />leaders will soon realize that hillh storage is the only assured way to provide reliable <br />river flows for all environmental and humllllneeds, including floaters and flshennan. <br />durina tlood and drought conditioDB. <br /> <br />Tree rill8 records show western wet and dry cycles can last ten or more years. Many <br />western cities, farms, and environments are now highly vulnerable with even a two-year <br />drought. Colorado is espectally at risk, because its per capita reservoir capacity for long <br />droughts is at its lowest ebb since the early 1900s. <br /> <br />Federal runoff data conflnns Colorado is losing more of its endtled state waters to <br />California that before the 1950s. While Colorado's tral,:ic water losses are growing, its <br />east slope farms are being unnecessarily dried up for urban growth. Although <br />Colorado's hip mountains generate most of the renewable water supplies for the region <br />between Nebraska and Southern California, its tap fees and user costs for city dwellers <br />are amolli the hishcst in the West. <br /> <br />Colorado is the only western state that relies on costly water court battles instead of a <br />state-wide public planning process for major water policy and development decisions. <br />HopefUlly, Colorado's multi-million dollar U. S, Supreme CoUrt directed loss to Kansas <br />will serve as a wake up call for state-wide water planning, with all stakeholders <br />represented. <br /> <br />Federallltld state agencies must immediately reverse their self-defeating policies against <br />headwater reservoirs. They also must cooperate to evaluate and develop this overlooked <br />natural resource enhancement potential, before it is pennanently destroyed. <br /> <br />Conservation of wasted wet year snowmelt in high, off.channel reservoirs is the only <br />viable solution for high quality, low cost drought and growth ins1.ITlU1ce for Western <br />cities, 1'anns, and environments during this new millennium. <br /> <br />Dave Miller ~ <br />Independent Water Planner <br />P. O. BOll 567, Palmer Lake, CO 80133 <br />(719) 481-2003, FIlX (719) 481-3452 <br />