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<br />fj~L JOO <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />U 1/ ""v- t 1\ I'{' ,;. <br />{II ~J. ~ Q)....... I <br />. ~ (:n,..... Vt< '.... <br />fL 1'7W,,/-., '0~' <br /> <br />/' <br />, .,', <br />~'. .;.:'. <br /> <br />Report on S.l696, The Colorado River Ploodway Protection Act <br /> <br />The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was referred <br />the bill (S.1696) to establish a federally declared Floodway for the <br />Colorado River below Davis Dam, having considered the same, reports <br />favorably thereon with amendments and recoornends that the bill as amended do <br />pass. <br /> <br />BI\CKGROOND <br /> <br />The Colorado River is one of the most highly regulated river systens <br />in the nation. The numerous dams on the Colorado River system represent a <br />multi-billion dollar federal and state investment which yields enormous <br />flood control, water supply, and hydroelectric benefits. The operation of <br />these dams requires the Bureau of Reclamation to balance the competing <br />nature of these multiple benefits. <br /> <br />Following the construction of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963, a temporary, <br />17-year flow regime of highly controlled water supply releases was <br />experienced along the Lower Colorado River as Lake Powell was filled. <br />This condition provided a false sense of security and allowed local <br />residents and businesses to ignore the repeated warnings of the Bureau of <br />Reclamation and the Corps of Engineers not to build in the floodplain <br />downstream of Hoover Dam. With the canpletion of the filling of Lake <br />Powell in 1980, the River returned to its previous flow regime of frequent <br />flood control releases. <br /> <br />Despite these flood control releases and despite the best efforts of <br />the Bureau of Reclamation to discourage it, development within the <br />flOodplain continues. Testimony before the Committee indicated that this <br />development presents a serious problem with respect to the Bureau's ability <br />to operate the upstream reservoir system. <br /> <br />Contributing to this situation is the fact that numerous federal' <br />grants, subsidies, and programs which encourage development are available <br />within the floodway. These include such things as federal flood insurance, <br />sewer and highway grants, federal property leases, and loans to small <br />businesses. <br /> <br />Furthermore, in the event of flooding, many of the residences and <br />businesses in the floodway (whether built using federal funds or not) <br />are eligible for federal disaster relief or flood insurance payments. <br /> <br />For example, in 1983, 1984, and 1985, flooding on the lower Colorado <br />River caused millions of dollars of damage to homes, businesses, and public <br />facilities. During 1983 alone, the Federal government paid $3 million in <br />flood insurance claims and $4.9 million in other forms of disaster relief <br />for flood related damages in the floodway area. If the development of the <br />floodplain continues, federal expenditures due to flooding in the area "can <br />be expected to increase. <br />