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<br />(i) Conditional water rights_~-Compensating willing parties for canceling or <br />otherwise abandoning conditional water rights within or upstream of the Wilderness Area <br />which would protect the natural environment within the Wilderness Area. <br /> <br />(ii) Absolute water rights.~~Compensating willing parties for conveying absolute <br />water rights within or upstream of the Wilderness Area to the Colorado Water <br />Conservation Board for conversion to instream flows under Colorado law. <br /> <br />(B) Enforceable agreement.~~Compensation under clauses (i) and (ii) of <br />subparagraph (A) shall be given pursuant to an enforceable agreement between the <br />Department of Natural Resources of the State of Colorado and the willing party setting <br />out the fair market value for the conditional water rights to be canceled or abandoned, <br />or the absolute water rights to be conveyed, as applicable. The fair market value shall <br />be determined by an independent appraisal, performed by an appraiser to be mutually <br />agreed upon by the Secretary of Agriculture, the Department of Natural Resources of the <br />State of Colorado, and the willing party. <br />(C) Authorization of appropriations.~~There is authorized to be appropriated for <br />the purposes of this paragraph $300,000. <br />SEC. 7. MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION. <br /> <br />(a) In General.~~As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this <br />Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a copy of the Map and a legal description <br />of the Wilderness Area. <br />(b) Force and Effect.~~The Map and legal description shall have the same force and <br />effect as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct clerical and <br />typographical errors in the Map and the legal description. <br /> <br />(c) Public Availability.~~Copies of the Map and the legal description shall be on <br />file and available for public inspection in the following: <br />(1) The Office of the Director of the Bureau of Land Management. <br />(2) The Office of the Chief of the Forest Service. <br />(3) The Office of the State Director of the Bureau of Land Management in Colorado <br />and the Glenwood Springs Resource area Office in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. <br /> <br />(4) The Office of the Regional Forester of the Forest Service in Colorado, and of <br />the White River National Forest, Forest Ranger Office in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. <br /> <br />(d) Map Controlling.~~In the case of a discrepancy between the Map and the <br />descriptions, the Map shall control. <br />SEC. 8. WILDERNESS POTENTIAL. <br /> <br />Nothing in the Act shall preclude or restrict the authority of the Secretary to <br />evaluate the suitability of roadless and unroaded areas adjacent to the Wilderness Area <br />for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System or to make recommendations <br />to Congress for such inclusions. <br /> <br />PURPOSE OF THE BILL <br /> <br />The purpose of H.R. 2963 is to establish the Deep Creek Wilderness Area. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION <br /> <br />Carved in multiple layers of limestone, shale and other sedimentary formations <br />dating back to the Cambrian age, the Deep Creek area of Colorado is a rugged and remote <br />wooded canyon that plunges 2,500 feet along a 13~mile path. The Deep Creek landscape <br />plays host to subterranean streams, caverns, sinks and over 40 prehistoric caves, <br />including Groaning Cave, which is the longest in the State of Colorado. <br /> <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />Flood Protection. Water Supply Planning and Financing. Stream and Lake Protection <br />Water Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning <br /> <br />6 <br />