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<br />streamflows are all about. There is a legitimate concern about the <br />future growth of counties. "Without question, they are going to grow. <br /> <br />This board has approved a project for the town of Eagle to increase its <br />water supplies. We are not engaged only in minimum streamflows. Our <br />basic responsibility is to supply water, and this "we intend to do. We <br />are trying to maintain a delicate balance between minimum streamflows " <br />and keeping our people supplied with water. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />As I understand it, you have no great concern about these particular <br />recommendations, since virtually all of them are up in the high <br />country 'on Forest Service land. The "great concern is about what <br />happens when the water gets down:to the community. Part of this fear <br />has been brought about by articles appearing in Western Slope news- <br />papers' to. the effect that towns'c,in Western Colorado may be forced to <br />let water go by that they need to use. I consider those statements <br />irresponsible. The fact remains that, under the Colorado River Compact, <br />we have to pass about 70 percent of the flow of the Colorado River and <br />its tributaries to meet our compact commitments. <br /> <br />All "of the minimum streamflows that we will obtain will not amount to <br />10 percent of the total flow of the Colorado River. Since we will <br />have to pass 70 percent, I fail to see how minimum streamflows of 10 <br />percent will prohibit Western Colorado from using all of the water to <br />which it is entitled. <br /> <br />That is the other side of the coin. If you would like to set up <br />additional meetings, either myself or some ~f the staff members would <br />be glad to attend, not only in Eagle but anywhere in the state. There <br />is a limitation as to how much we can travel. However, in every county <br />in the state, we can conduct several meetings that the county commis- <br />sioners would like to sponsor or that" any other group would like to <br />sponsor. <br /> <br />MR. WILLIAMS: Can I respond to that, Mr. Chairman? <br /> <br />MR. STAPLETON: Yes. <br /> <br />MR. WILLIAMS: It was at our request via the Chamber of Commerce of <br />Eagle that Mr. Sparks was asked to talk there and he, apparently, did <br />clarify some of the concerns. We have mixed emotions within Eagle <br />County with regard to these instream-flow appropriations. Some of the <br />water users: that is, the municipal water users in the Vail area, have <br />written us a letter of concern and are asking us to be cautious in our <br />approach to this situation. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />We have people in the Basalt area who encourage us to recommend these <br />appropriations. So we do have some problems. <br /> <br />It seems as though once you are elected a county commissioner, you are <br />supposed to have all the answers and all the knowledge. That isn" t <br />the case in Eagle County. We are trying to research out and find out <br />what may best suit Eagle County. We think that an effort from you to <br />help provide information to the populace in Eagle County would be <br /> <br />-20- <br />