Laserfiche WebLink
<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Agenda Item 22c <br />July 24-25, 2000 Board Meeting <br />Page 4 of 4 <br /> <br />CNRA was establishment by memorandum of agreement between the US, Bureau of <br />Reclamation and the National Park Service (NPS) following the construction of the <br />Aspinall Storage Unit The October 1997 General Management Plan for CNRA <br />acknowledges one of the CNRA mandates is, "to manage the lands, waters, and activities <br />of CNRA in such a way that it does not interfere with the purposes of the CRSP A and <br />other Bureau of Reclamation agreements affecting the operation of the Aspinall Unit" <br /> <br />On May 3, 2000 the National Park Service published notice in the Federal Register that it <br />W;iS going to undertake a Resource Protection Study and Environmental Impact <br />Statement for the Curecanti National Recreation Area (CNRA-RPS and EIS). The <br />purpose of the study is assess the natural, cultural and scenic resource value and character <br />ofthe land within and surrounding CNRA and to identifY practicable alternatives that <br />protect those values and characteristics. Board staff and others expressed concern that <br />the CNRA-RPS and EIS not result in actions that would alter the current management <br />philosophy and impair the ability of Colorado water users to develop Colorado's compact <br />apportionment The CNRA-RPS needs to consider that upto 300,000 acre-feet of water <br />may ultimately be developed out of the Aspinall Unit for beneficial consumptive uses in <br />Colorado, <br /> <br />Furthermore, the CNRA-RPS should not result in recommendation that impair the <br />ability of the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association to use, operate, access and <br />maintain the Uncompahgre Project (Gunnison tunnel and diversion dam) that has been in <br />existence since 1912, We also believe it is extremely important to balance the water <br />needs of the CNRA with the water needs of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National <br />Park, as both areas are vitally important to the local economy, <br /> <br />Attachments <br />