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<br />SUBURBS
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<br />Monday, May 10, 1999
<br />
<br />DOUGl.AS
<br />I-\H"c\'vnQ.v l-.JEFFEIlSON
<br />
<br />36
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<br />· Money flows to dam study
<br />
<br />2nd opinion sought
<br />on Cherry Creek
<br />
<br />By Jason Blevins
<br />D('nv~r roslStaHWriler
<br />CASTLE flOCK - Aftcr months of calling for a
<br />r('\'iew of weather data that led the Army Corps of
<br />F,ngin('crs to declare the Cherry Creek Dam unsafe,
<br />sUIt\' and local officials are chipping in money to pay
<br />for an independentassessmenL
<br />But no one se('m.~ to know what, if any, impact an
<br />independent r~vieIV will have on the corps' conclu-
<br />sjnn.~.
<br />Leaders fcom Greenwood Village, the Colorado Wa-
<br />tl'r Conservation [J03nl and Douglas Counly have said
<br />thl'Y are ready to pilch in for an independent study
<br />lhiil would examine the weather data used by the
<br />corps, The study is expected to cost aboul $150,000,
<br />Corps officials expressed faith in the data, provided
<br />by the National Weather Service, and acknowledged
<br />that an independ\'nt review would not necessarily
<br />change lheir position that the dam is unsafe,
<br />It would lake a sLorm the likes of which this state
<br />has never seen to breach the dam, but such a storm
<br />w\luld be devastating, according to the corps. In a
<br />1!l93 study, the corps found lhat in the event of an
<br />"e:dreme meleorological event" - characterized by
<br />the National Weather Service as about 25 inches of
<br />rain in i2 hours across an already flooded 390-square-
<br />mile Cherry Creek basin - the dam would fail.
<br />.. Study's thoroughness questioned
<br />The science used in that study has stirred a healed
<br />controversy among landowners who live in areas
<br />where the corlls is considering dry dams to stem lhe
<br />rlow of floodwater.
<br />"1 think you've got some significant shortcomings in
<br />that study," said Ed Tomlinson, a meteorologist who
<br />examined the weather service's numbers, "Certainly
<br />with a study 1l1at has as much impact as this one,
<br />there should have been more diligence and thorough-
<br />nf'~S put into flIP study."
<br />The Greenwood Village City Council last month ap-
<br />proved $25,000 for [he independent review. The Colo-
<br />rado Waler Conservation board has asked the state
<br />LrgislaLure for approval to match Ule contributions of
<br />local communiUes and governments. And Douglas
<br />County officials have hinted that they will ante up,
<br />too.
<br />"The commi.~sioners are commilted Lo spending
<br />some money, hut we wanl to make sure we are
<br />making a rE'sponsiille decision," said IJr.ooke Fox, who
<br />heads Douglas County's open space and natural re.
<br />sOllrces division. "There's so much uncertainly here.
<br />\Ve don't know lhe direction the corps is going. And
<br />just having an independent review doesn't mean the
<br />corps will give it any credence."
<br />Ilill Miller, who is directing the corps' Cherry Creek
<br />prnjl'ct. said hi.~ team will pass on any relevant infor.
<br />million to the National Weather Serviee.
<br />"Th!')' are an oW'II.minded group," he said. "If lhey
<br />sal\' something Hmt IVould have an crreet un sume uf
<br />the decisions they've made or IVould bring about a
<br />change in theil' thought process, I'm sure they would
<br />adjusttheirntllllhers,"
<br />Blltthe weathf'r service has already double-checked
<br />its work, MiIlf'r said. An expert not associated with
<br />lhe servke has alreildy reviewed the weather ser.
<br />\'in's data ami agrE"l's wilh its conclusions. he said,
<br />"They are still sLanding by lIu:>ir project." he said. "I
<br />.-think there arc some people out there that have not
<br />~('11 satisfied with the expert.s review, H's a comllli-
<br />Jll'd is~ue. anll Ihe corps is guing tu listeulo the Na-
<br />tiollal WcaLhrrService. Wecollsiderthcllll.heexperts
<br />in the field."
<br />
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<br />
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<br />
<br />Water rushes through the __floodgates at Cherry
<br />Creek Dam as the Army Corps of Engineers
<br />
<br />Oenver Post hie flhoto
<br />flushes oul silt buildup. The corps says a calaclys-
<br />mic storm could cause Ihe dam 10 fail.
<br />
<br />That doesn't deter 1he desire to see a review of the
<br />data, said Don Morrison, a Greenwood Village city
<br />cOllncilman. Sen. Wayne Allard and Reps. Tom Tan.
<br />credo and Joel Hefley have also called for an indepen-
<br />dent review uf the worst.case scenario weather data.
<br />
<br />"Part of ollr audience in terms of an independelit
<br />peer review is ollr elected representatives," Morrison
<br />said, "If you were our U.S. representative or senator,
<br />and )'Oll are going to vote on funding to build this dam
<br />, . . you might have an inclination to believe the Na.
<br />lional Weathrr Service if there were no independent
<br />review. Dllt if lhere was an independent review that
<br />diffrled frum the National Wealher Service, you'd
<br />
<br />probably give a good second thought before vuting tu
<br />give the corps the money."
<br />Peter Evans, the water conservation hoard's direc-
<br />tor, said the key is to persuade the corps to gel in-
<br />volved in examining the weather service's conclu-
<br />sions.
<br />"The problem is just doing a study on O1lr o\\'n
<br />doesn'l change the corps' mind, aml unless we can
<br />change lheir minds it's prelly tough to challenge
<br />them," he said, "We want t!Jem tu lake parL in whatev-
<br />er review we do. It would be hetter if the ('orlls w(luld
<br />simply help us crealI' ~n open f'llviwlllllCllt so W'! call
<br />review the work tha1 has already been dune."
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