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<br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />1 31 3 Sherman Street <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phone: 130]1 866.3441 <br />FAX: 1]031 866-4474 <br /> <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />August 20, 1999 <br /> <br />Bill Owens <br />Governor <br />GregE, Walcher <br />Executi~ Director, DNR <br />Peter H. EVilns <br />Director, ewes <br /> <br />Co!. Volz <br />Commander & District Engineer- Omaha <br />U.S. Army Corps of Engineers <br />217 North 17th Street <br />OmahaNE 68102-4978 <br /> <br />RE: Cherry Creek Reservoir Safety Questions <br />Dear Colonel Volz: <br /> <br />The recent coordination between your staff and mine in convening a technical discussion <br />of questions pertaining to the Corps' flooding safety concerns at Cherry Creek Reservoir were <br />very successful. We appreciation your commitment to this process and the integrity it lends to <br />our relationship for the resolution of this issue and others. <br />As a result of this technical discussion and the public presentation which followed, <br />interested parties in Colorado are much better informed about the pararneters within which the <br />National Weather Service and the Corps have determined Probable Maximum Precipitation <br />(PMP) and Probable Maximum Flood (pMF) values for this reservoir. Specifically, we have a <br />greater appreciation for the "worst case" nature of these determinations as well as the data, <br />assumptions and models used in the process. Furthermore, we recognize that the geographic and <br />orogragraphic location of this reservoir requires site-specific deterrninationsin which <br />professional judgment becomes a major element. Since the science involved in these <br />determinations is complex and the regulations don't provide a complete formula, building public <br />(and congressional) support for any corrective action will require adequate peer review and a <br />clear explanation of the justification. <br />I do not believe that the information, peer review and explanation currently available are <br />adequate to enable the state of Colorado to support a conclusion that there is a darn safety <br />problem that needs to be corrected. However, I do not believe this question should be dropped <br />and I arn in a position to support further an.alysis and review of the PMP and PMF <br />determinations. We will continue our coordination with Bill Miller as soon as he is able to return <br />his attention to the Cherry Creek reservoir safety concern, and hope you will contact me anytime <br />there is an opportunity for us to help advance this information development and decision making <br />process. <br /> <br />(;d:yz:-- <br /> <br />Peter H. Evans <br />Director <br />cc: Colorado Water Conservation Board Members <br />Larry Lang <br />Bill Miller <br /> <br />L:\wctrans\dd\Volz Itr CC safety <br />