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<br />accelerating,at a rather dramatic rate. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />The result was, at least with these various alternatives, that We <br />delayed any ,firm arrangement for the permanent pool until we could <br />actually determine whether there would be a requirement for ocher <br />capacity in the Chatfield Reservoir. The final' environmental impact <br />statement was prepared, and at a later,date the Secretary of the <br />Interior indicated that he would:grant the City of Denver a permit, <br />a special use permit for the construction of the Foothills Treatment <br />Plant, upon various conditions. One of those conditions was the release <br />of streamflow through the Denver diversion points to maintain a minimum <br />streamflow down to the entry of the river with the Chatfield Reservoir. <br />As I recall, this was 60 cfs during the summer months and 30 cfs during <br />the winter months. This represents a very substantial amount of water. <br /> <br />Without afterbay regulation. of that water, a large part of it would be <br />lost to the City of Denver and therefore to the metropolitan area. So <br />Chatfield does have the potential then of re-regulation of the waters <br />which are passed for minimum streamflows. <br /> <br />In addition to that, several of the communities in the metropolitan <br />area desperately need additional storage space, and Chatfield is one <br />potential solution. However, there are limitations which have to be <br />placed upon the Chatfield Reservoir., The reservoir was constructed <br />primarily for flood control. That, means that there has to be sufficient <br />space to serve that purpose. The reservoir is, large enough to accom- <br />modate some additional conservation storage. The Corps of Engineers <br />takes the position at this time that since at the time the reservoir <br />was being designed no one indicated any interest in conservation <br />storage, the Corps does not have the authority under, the original <br />legislation to utilize that reservoir for anything other than the <br />permanent pool and for flood control~ It is the position of the Corps <br />of Engineers that if any conservation storage is placed in the reseroir, <br />some amendment to the authorizing legislation is required. I think <br />this is a matter of considerable importance, and it is a matter of <br />great urgency at this time . <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />The Committee on Public Works of the House of Representatives started <br />today to mark up the omnibus flood control bill of 1978. There will <br />not be a similar markup again until 1980. That is a bill that is <br />enacted every two years. So if anything is to be done within the next <br />two years, it must be, done this week. . Therefore:, I have sent to the <br />board members a proposed amendment to the authorizing legislation. <br /> <br />There are people representing various entities in the metropolitan <br />area in Washington today awaiting the action of this board in order to <br />determine whether or not this board and the state will support <br /> <br />-3- <br />