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<br />-. . <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />1313 Sherman Street <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phone: (03) 866.3441 <br />FAX: (303) 866.4474 <br /> <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />Bill Owens <br />Governor <br /> <br />Greg E. Walcher <br />Executive Director, ONR <br /> <br />Peter H. Evans <br />Director, ewes <br /> <br />TO: Greg Walcher <br />Dan McAuliffe <br />Peter Evans <br /> <br />FROM: Randy Seaholmp <br />DATE: April 30, 1999 <br /> <br />SUBJECT: BLM Wilderness Legislation (Colorado Wilderness Act H.R. 829) <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />As follow-up to our meeting with Rep. DeGette on March 31 't, I have reviewed the <br />legislation and have the following observations concerning the legislation, As shown on <br />the maps at Rep. DeGette's office, the 49 proposed wilderness areas could be divided into <br />three groups. <br /> <br />· Group 1 would be those areas that are clearly headwater areas, These areas <br />likely have no impact on Colorado's ability to develop its compact <br />apportioned waters and no impact 9n existing water rights, either absolute of <br />conditional. <br />· Group 2 would be those areas that are headwater areas, but which have a few <br />existing water rights (less than 5) located within the proposed boundaries, <br />These areas, with minor boundary modifications, also likely have little impact <br />on Colorado's ability to develop its compact apportioned waters and little <br />impact on existing water rights, either absolute of conditional. <br />· Group 3 areas are those like the Gunnison Gorge which include a portion of a <br />significant stream or are downstream from significant water uses or water <br />projects. These areas likely need to be addressed on a case-by-case basis and <br />special water language for each area developed. <br /> <br />From strictly a water perspective, prior to evaluating whether or not we support <br />designation of any of these areas, each area should have the significant watersheds (more <br />than 6,400 acres in size) delineated. Each watershed should then be evaluated for <br />potential dam sites and compared with Colorado's "Dam Site Inventory" and the "Water <br />Rights Tabulation" for possible conflicts. If few or no conflicts were observed, then <br />language as used in 1993 Colorado Wilderness Act would seem appropriate and could be <br />. substituted for the current language in H.R. 829. <br />