BOARD01541

• Board Meeting Date: 1/24/2006
• Description: WSP Section - Statewide Water Supply Initiative
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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. Enhances endangered species and recreation on both sides of the Divide;

. Increases statewide water quality during critical low stream flow periods;

. Increases reliability and utility of limited state and regional water supplies;

. Integrates and increases productivity of state's fragmented water supply systems;

. Provides strong incentives for cooperation between historically competing basins;

. Diverts only 13% of untapped Gunnison River's native flows;

. Develops Gunnison Basin's unused 60,000 acre-feet share of Aspinall Pool;

. Front Range utilities can share CCP's costs, while saving farming and tourism;

. Construction can soon be completed in four self-funding phases;

. High storage reduces regional evaporation losses, while enhancing environments;

. Gravity deliveries can recharge state's declining aquifers during long wet cycles;

. High value storage is filled with low value spring flood waters and surplus power;

. High value peaking power will offset CCP construction and operating costs;

. Future municipal and agriculture water costs will decline instead of escalate;

. Increased water productivity can offset potential shortages from global warming;

. Serves as model project to solve escalating Western water shortage problems;

. Solves known Taylor Park, Blue Mesa, and Pueblo Reservoir flood failure problems.

Conclusions: Colorado is unnecessarily sacrificing its agriculture and tourist industries
for Front Range growth. CCP's expected 10 to 1 benefit-cost advantages are
unprecedented throughout the utility industry. Colorado's "CCP oversight" violates: 1)
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rules; 2) Colorado's Constitutional right to
develop its unallocated interstate entitlements; 3) Congressional intent regarding
statewide development and consumptive use of Bureau's Aspinall Pool rights; and 4)
Colorado Water Conservation Board's primary legislative mandate to "plan, develop,
and beneficially use" Colorado's extensive interstate entitlements.

Recommendation: Initiate an emergency local, state, and federal program to
cooperatively permit and construct Central Colorado Project for the urban and rural
needs of Colorado's current and future generations.

Dave Miller, President, Natural Energy Resources ComJJany, P.O. Box 567, Palmer
Lake, CO 80133. 719-481-2003, Fax [phone]. Bnv