Laserfiche WebLink
<br />. <br /> <br />What the Army Corps of Engineers has done with its highly improbable <br />assertions is to attempt to redesign Cherry Creek Reservoir at essentially a <br />zero risk level. While public safety is paramount, it should be noted that very <br />few things in life are designed to zero risk, including cars, highways and <br />airplanes. <br /> <br />The State of Colorado regulates high-risk dams like Cherry Creek at 75 <br />percent of the Probable Maximum Flood. Cherry Creek Dam will hold 75 <br />percent of the Probable Maximum Flood estimated by the National Weather <br />Service and Corps. <br /> <br />If the Cherry Creek Dam needs to be redesigned based on the assumptions <br />used by the National Weather Service and Army Corps of Engineers, then <br />there are literally thousands of other dams in Colorado and elsewhere that <br />also need rebuilding. <br /> <br />Independent Peer Review <br />Given the controversy and public alarm created by the Corps' Cherry Creek <br />Dam proposals, it is only reasonable to seek a resolution of the matter through <br />a comprehensive independent study conducted by known experts. The <br />broad-based review could include specialists from the Federal Energy <br />Regulatory Commission, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board and the offices of the Colorado State <br />Engineer and State Climatologist, as well as other independent climatologists <br />and hydrologists. <br /> <br />With so much at stake, both financially and socially, it would be <br />unpardonable to continue with the Cherry Creek Dam reconstruction absent <br />data, assumptions and procedures that are accurate and that have been <br />carefully reviewed. <br /> <br />5/1/99 <br /> <br />### <br /> <br />4 <br />