BOARD01955

• Board Meeting Date: 3/21/1973
• Description: Agenda or Table of Contents, Minutes, Memos
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

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the project, could further deplete the Dolores River.

2. That with the Dolores project, white water boating would be more
predictable and thus of better quality than under historic flow
conditions. Project storage releases would enhance fishery, recrea-
tion and general scenic values of the Dolores River.

Following our letter-writing campaign, a tour below the proposed dam-
site of the Dolores River was organized to show environmentalists,
conservationists and other interested parties the actual on-the-spot
conditions of the Dolores River flow, which was the theme of their
objection. At the time of the tour, the river proved to be bone dry
except for a few isolated pools. As seeing, is believing, we have
not had any more objections from the environmentalists.

It is ironic, but prior to all of the objections from the Sierra
Club and other conservation groups, the Bureau of Reclamation and the
Dolores Water Conservancy District had already made tentative plans
in the project formulation to supply sufficient spills in the amount
of 70,000 acre-feet a year, which will maintain a steady, constant
flow below the McPhee damsite - a flow that the Dolores River has
not been able to maintain since diversions were initiated out of it
in the late 1880's.

As recreation is an important factor in all large water storage
developments, the Dolores Water Conservancy District has placed rec-
reation high on its priority as an extra beneficial by-product of
the Dolores project. Upon the completion of the Dolores project,
white water boating will be enhanced and stream fishing will also be
greatly improved by the stability of the constant stream flow created
by the dam spill of the project. In addition, boating for fishing
and pleasure will be created by the McPhee Reservoir. The reservoir
will also provide a facility that will encourage picnicking and
other outdoor activities for not only the residents of the project
area, but tourists as well.

Before closing our statement to this board, we would like to touch
on many of the economic benefits of the Dolores project. The eco-
nomic impact from the Dolores project will provide and result in the
following cash flow and benefit to people in our district and the
state of Colorado:

1. On site government and contract labor

a. Approximately 4,500,000 direct man-hours required.

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