WSPC05202

• File Number: 7630.625
• Description: Wild and Scenic - Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 8/13/1981
• Author: Various
• Title: Comments - RE-South Platte River Basin Interim Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

. Ofl2471

BOAHD
OF
COlJNTY COMMISSIONERS

COMMISSIONERS
Leo M. Younger. Jr. - District 1
Steven E. Cramer - District 2
Bob Briggs. District 3

A(}MINISTRA nON BIIII.mNG
4S0 SOlITII 4TII A V .:N I JJo:
BRIGIn-ON, COI.ORAVO 801001
303-659- 2I 20

ADMINISTR~LYE DIVISION
PLANNING ~~? i:fff!}r/t;:.!I)?c-n
111.i(. ' .".1,'" i(187fJ"
I,.! ,. .'. ;.':I~.1
1,.", . ,..",,," :)jj'
,. .. , ,.,
I '\ ' . : r I'. t
'---.....~:-._-- '-'(,/
I.... o-
J::' r'r) ;'---._
.." ..: -~,./nhn -....-__
r... ."..'.,., .,0 1tV'1""~
'" :':i":',',\.' leR
. I '!'! ,1,~'rl'~ 0
".- -"~"./)

September 10, 1981

Colorauo liater Conservation Boaru
1313 Shennan
Denver, Co 8020:')

Dear Sirs,

We have appreclateu the opportW1ity to review your Interim Report on the
South Platte River Basin Assessment. The broad scope of alternatives
anu the manner of organizing them into log ical groups is, in our estimation,
very helpful in assessing the relative benefits and feasibilities of various
future development and management options for the Basin. The emphasis on
economics, though admittedly "first cut" data, is a needed advancA in pro-
ject planning infonnation. Yourselves anu Woouward - Clyde deserve consider-
able respect for your courage and approach.

The Adams COW1ty government is somewhat new to the basinwide water planning
business, and probably suffers as much as virtually any other agency from
the proliferation of rumors anJ misinfonnation about basinwide projects.
\'Ie mention this because we suspect that our questions anJ observations will
reflect it. Our more detailed comments are as follows:

1. The design of the study area puzzles us, almost as much as the lack
of uiscussion of projected transmoW1tain flows and projected future in-
basin flow alterations as a result of fairly current projects. We appr~ciate
the complexities of the "very upper" Basin area, transmoW1tain flows, and
current projects to an extent; yet when they can influence your project
conclusions, we reel that they coulJ be more auequately noteJ. We say this
because we have W1derstooc.l that Aurora's Spinney MoW1tain anJ Thornton's
South Park facilities arc still more or less on line for an eventual com-
binec.l GJpacity or arOlUld 7~,()()() acre reet in the "very upper" Basin area,
but that much of Spinney's water woulc.l be transmoWltain. Their influences
on the dOIVl1stream flows and available consumptive volumes probably would
be felt to an extent. Ft. Collins'more modest Cache La Poudre projects,
Rockwell and Sheep Creek,only represent about 8,900 acre feet of storage
that IVe have W1uerstooc.l arc still on line. We also have thought that the
Coal Creek Basin's 13,000 acre foot storage project still is an active one.
Ive real ;z(', however, l.h:l!. 0111' illrOI1IJ:lI.;OIl cUllld he Olll. or ,i:Jte or illcorrect.