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<br />'-' <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />,., <br /> <br />- 51 .;. <br /> <br />'- <br /> <br />'- <br /> <br />reliable water supply from the White River at the Rangely <br /> <br /> <br />pr0je~t. Many of these reviews, in an effort to portray <br /> <br /> <br />extreme case situations, have projected upstream develop- <br /> <br /> <br />ment far beyond what will actually take place. Each of <br /> <br /> <br />these studies has assumed, despite the fact that there is <br /> <br /> <br />no legal basis for such, minimum flows at the Colorado- <br /> <br /> <br />Utah state line. Dry years such as 1977-78 have been <br /> <br /> <br />factored into these analyses. In each instance, the ex- <br /> <br /> <br />perts have concluded that the Rangely site has a firm, <br /> <br /> <br />reliable, timely water supply. <br /> <br /> <br />We stress that this water rights issue involves <br /> <br /> <br />a Colorado water right. The most reliable authorities <br /> <br /> <br />with respect to this issue are those agencies in Colorado <br /> <br /> <br />which will regulate and administer this water right. <br /> <br /> <br />What better assurances of water availability can Deseret <br /> <br /> <br />or REA -- need than assurances from the very agencies <br /> <br /> <br />administering such rights. <br /> <br /> <br />The Deseret/REA position may result from a lack <br /> <br /> <br />of understanding about Colorado's water rights system <br /> <br /> <br />and the way in which senior absolute or conditional <br /> <br /> <br />rights work. Some of the most obvious misunderstandings <br /> <br /> <br />have occurred in the fOllowing areas: <br /> <br /> <br />First, upstream irrigation rights operate for <br /> <br /> <br />between 4 to 6 months of each year, depending on the <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />~. <br /> <br />-~ <br /> <br />0381 <br />