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<br />L--.. <br /> <br />~. <br /> <br />DElNrR ~!A'IER BOARD <br /> <br />001986 <br /> <br />lVEST SLOPE RESERVOm COl,:CEPT SWDrm <br /> <br />By DICK PRCUTY <br />Frcm THE DE}]\'ER POST <br />SUnday, l{oveI!'Der 28, 1971 <br /> <br />The concept of a nel'l major !'?estern Slope storage reservoir for ,vater des- <br />tined for the Denver area ,'Ias announced last ,'Ieek by the Denver '.Tater Board. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />By authorizing claims to be filed on any unappropriated vlaters of the Colo- <br />River above State i;ridge and in the Eagle River above l\blcott, to fill the <br />proposed reservoir the coard was acting upon b;o basic premises. <br /> <br />']he first ~ms continuation of its historic policy of acC}1li.ring and develop- <br />ing additional ,-.'ater supplies. <br /> <br />']he second is ne,~ and a result of the envirornr.ental crusade epitomized by <br />the Eagle-Piney Pater Protection Association (EFI'PAl at Vail, Colo. <br /> <br />REVE1~ur; SOURCE <br /> <br />That is t.'lat environmentalists are going to be exr-ected to pay for the <br />benefits to Western Slope streams the ne~l pr:)ject 'I';ould penn:it. <br /> <br />EFI'lPA vIaS organized a few Jr.onths ago to resist diversion of water to the <br />Eastern Slope that threatens to diminish flrn~s in ';'estern Slope streams--and <br />specifically, the $100 million-plus proposed Eagle-Piney Project of the .....ater <br />board in the Vail area. <br /> <br />It can't be emphasized tea strongly that the nevi ,vater developrr.ent plan, <br />called the Eagle-Colorado Collection System, is just an idea at this point. Its <br />economic aril engineering feasibility hasn't received even superficial considera- <br />tion. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The key factor of course, is what water, if any, will be available to put <br />in the proposed reservoir site just north of \?olcott. <br /> <br />The Eagle-Colorado concept is Rased upon the tagle-Piney proposal. 'The <br />Eagle Piney calls for collection of about 100,000 acre-feet of ',.ster from <br />tributaries of the Eagle lliver north and south of Vail. 'The water ~"Ould be <br />diverted through a series of turmels, canals and conduits to Dillon Reservoir. <br /> <br />ROBERTS 'lUlii'lEL <br /> <br />From there it ,..-ould go to Denver via the Roberts Tunnel and the Eorth Fork <br />of the South Platte River. <br /> <br />Taking tIle vlaters from peak stann and spring runoff would diminish flovlS <br />in the streams in the Vail area, darm'Jing their scenic, fishing, wildlife, <br />other desirable qualities, opponents to the plan contend. <br /> <br />':lith the ra'Jle-O.,J"I:aoo plan, water could be left in those streams and <br />picked up with an intake system along the J::agle River upstream from ~'?olcott. <br /> <br />;,~~~ <br />