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,~. e . PROPOSED BLACK CANYON NATIONAL PARK AND SCENIC RECREATION AREA Proposed Wild & Scenic Lower Gunnison River Area Cengressman Strang prepeses te designate appreximately twenty-five miles .of the Lower Gunnison River as a Wild and Scenic River [subject te reselutien .or mitigatien .of water right cenflicts], as a unit .of the Prepesed Black Canyen Natienal Park and Scenic Recreatien Area. Designated fer study in the Natienal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the Lower Gunnisen River study was completed by the National Park Service in 1979. The recommendatien was fer 26 miles .of the Lower Gunnison River, frem the seuth boundary .of the monument te abeut .one mile belew the cenfluence with the Smith Ferk, to be designated as a "wild" river. Cengressman Strang's prepesal seeks te designate 25 miles .of the river, with the nerthern beundary at the cenfluence with the Smith Ferk, instead of .one mile belew it. The Smith Ferk prevides a m.ore identifiable beundary. The Strang prepesal mayalse remeve a .pessible c.onflict with Celorad.o Ute Electric Ass.ociatien water rights and reserveir plans, sheuld they be develeped. In additien t.o Celerade Ute, ether water rights and reserveir plans are present en this pertien .of the river. These rights are held by the City .of Delta and by the Pittsburg and Midway Ceal Mining Cempany. Those twe prepesals include reserv.oirs that weuld fle.od mest .of the river fr.om the Smith Ferk upstream ~.o the nerthern beundary .of the m.onument. The study explains each .of these cenflicts and alternative designatiens that were c.onsidered. The advisory greup is asked te determine if any eptiens are available te remeve these cenflicts with the prepesed designation. If the water rights cann.ot be meved, seld, traded, or .otherwise removed as a cenflict with designati.on, perhaps the advisery cemmittee could recemmend seme ether form .of riverway designation .or management that weuld insure the pretecti.on .of the river and receive censensus suppert. As an example, perhaps the p.ortien .of the river flewing thr.ough the menument c.ould be designated "wild" and the pertien thr.ough the g.orge designated as s.om'e form .of special management area. The advisery greup .or the public may have ether suggesti.ons. ***** .\~ ~~~~