WSPC04453 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

system. This system has now been completed at a cost of over four million dollars and serves about fifteen hundred rural families in a three-county area. This rural system was constructed Ln the belief that project water from the Dallas Creek project would be available by 1979. In the interim period, the water conservancy district entered into a temporary arrangement with the city of Montrose to purchase water from the city for a ten-year period, if such water could be made available. However, the city of Montrose is now facing a water crisis itself and has subscribed to a substantial amount of water from the Dallas Creek project. The same is true for the city of Delta and other municipal systems in the area. It is therefore unthinkable at this point in time that the Dallas Creek project be suddenly terminated. We have faith that Congress will not let that happen. We have noted that on the mysterious rating listing issued by the White House that the Dallas Creek is rated as environmentally unsound. This rating, apparently made by those who are unable to distinguish the Uncompahgre Valley from the Grand Canyon, is totally untenable. The only major feature of the Uncompahgre project is the Ridgway Dam. That dam would be located only a few miles upstream from where we are meeting today and is an area already completely occupied by human activities and is traversed by both a railroad and a federal highway. No fishery of any consequence exists at any place in the Uncompahgre River and the project will cause no significant impact upon big game herds. If anything, the project will be an environmental plus. If the members of this Committee have the time, I urge you to visit the pro- posed damsite to analyze for yourselves the environmental impact. There are those here from the project area who will more fully -5- 2550