BOARD02195

• Board Meeting Date: 9/12/1964
• Description: Minutes
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

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MR. STAPLETON:

MR. ETCHISON:

Thank you."

"Thank you, Mr. Samples.

Mr. Etchison, are you the next speaker?"

"My name is Marvin Etchison and I represent
the Weldon Valley Ditch Company. I have here
a memorandum to the Colorado Water Conserva-
tion Board from the Weldon Valley Ditch Com-
pany and I will read it:

'The purpose of this memorandum is to
reaffirm in writing the request of the Weldon
Valley Ditch Company for the location of a
dam on the South Platte River at the "Weld
County Site".

Attention is called to the existing and
potential land, water, mineral, agricultural
and sentimental values of the area to be
inundated by a dam at the "Narrows Site".
Further, it is emphasized that the sum esti-
mated for the purchase of real estate and
natural resources of the Weldon Valley area,
by the Bureau of Reclamation, is so insuffi-
cient compared to the actual and potential
value that it deserves lengthy consideration.

The cost estimate of the Narrows Site does
not mention the Weldon Valley Ditch Company.
This is an incorporated mutual stock company,
and has an 1881 Colorado water decree for
164.9 seconL feet of water. This water is
not attached to the land. Let it be assumed
that 165 second feet of water were diverted
for 120 days per season. This would accumulate
a total of 39,600 acre-feet of water annually.
using the $5.00 per acre-foot value for water,
as has been associated with water to be deliv-
ered from the dam on the river channel, the
annual value of this water is $198,000. Pro-
ject this figure 50 years and this water has
a value of $9,900,000. According to the testi-
mony in the Lower South Platte Water Conservancy
District suit, water is worth $50 per year per