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<br />~VjJ <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />platte River ran to the north of where it is <br />today. At the lower site, the Weld county <br />site, the river went several miles to the south <br />of where it is today. That portion in yellow <br />indicates the alluvial and aeolian fill which <br />has taken place over the centuries as a result <br />of the change in the river channel. <br /> <br />Because of the direct downstream flow of <br />water under the reservoir foundation at the <br />Weld County site if positive cutoff were not <br />made, the Office of the Chief Engineer, U. s. <br />Bureau of Reclamation, concluded that for safety <br />reasons a dam should not be constructed at the <br />Weld County site unless positive cutoff were <br />assured. The new estimates were prepared on <br />this basis. <br /> <br />There was considerable dissatisfaction by <br />some valley residents with the right-of-way <br />costs within the two reservoir sites as ori- <br />ginally computed by the Bureau of Reclamation. <br />This Board then employed the firm of Justin H. <br />Haynes and Company to estimate the value of the <br />land to be acquired in fee, flood easements, and <br />severance damages at each of the two reservoir <br />sites. I might add again that the firm of <br />Justin H. Haynes is one of the leading appraisal <br />firms in the state of Colorado, handles right- <br />of-ways for highways and other matters for the <br />state, and is one of the most competent firms <br />that can be found in this area on right-of- <br />way costs. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />A documented report from that firm was <br />rendered to the Board under date of May 1st <br />of this year. The report estimated the costs <br />of acquisition at the Narrows site at $5,787,000 <br />and the Weld County site at $3,750,000. This <br />compared to the Bureau's estimated costs of <br />$4,238,000 at the Narrows site and $3,544,000 <br />at the Weld County site. The gist of the <br />report by our consultants was that the land was <br />more valuable, or that the costs at least would <br />be greater, than had been previously estimated <br />by the Bureau of Reclamation. The costs quoted <br />here do not include allowances for contingen- <br />cies, engineering and overhead. Final estimates <br />