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<br />BLACK CANYON INFORMA nON PAPER
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<br />Oct, 2000
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<br />significant to the imagination as the chasm of the Black Canyon is to the sight, ' It is true that
<br />regulatedflows of the Gunnison River through the monument below the existing irrigation
<br />diversion tunnel have, for comparatively bri4 periods, been reduced to hardly more than
<br />scattered pools, But, without exception, these periods have been followed within the space of a
<br />few months with the great, furious spring ton'ents with their scouring effects that have, in the
<br />main. been responsible, bo(hfor creating the Jpectacular gorge and deepening it, Regulation
<br />will havet;m adverse effect on this natural process, "
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<br />,,'With'the CrystaiR'eservoiroperated as are-regulatory afterbay for the Curecanti Reservoir,
<br />,adq.itionareffe'cts on river flows through the monument should be negligible, On this basis it can
<br />bi'4ssumed that it will, be the Curecanti which will affect the monument in this respect rather
<br />, /hr,mth'iCrystal unit 'Such changes in natural corrditions, while very undesirable, ,are
<br />.' nevertheless not sufficiently adverse to offset the economic advantages to be gained by river
<br />" regUlation'in the public interest, ' , '
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<br />July 15,1959: 86'" Congress, I"Session, House Document No. 201', Cureduiti Unit'
<br />Colorado River Storal!e Proiect. Letter fro.J!ll Actine- Secretary of the Interior h'ansmittinl! a
<br />supplemental reDort and certification of economic iustificationof the Curecanti Storal!e
<br />Unit of the Colorado River Storal!e Proiecti" Colorado. Dunnant to the Act 'of ADrilll.
<br />1956 (70 Stat. 105), .
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<br />In a letter to the President from the Secretary of the Interior, dated May'15, 1959, the Secretary
<br />recommends two storage dams at the Blue Mesa and Morrow Point sites, The Secretary also
<br />proposed to continue a feasibility analysis at t he Crystal site, The Secretary states: ", , , the
<br />Curecanti unit would regulate streamflows and provide downstream flood control, recreation, and
<br />irrigation benefits as presented in the enclosed economic justification report," (page VIII)
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<br />Bureau of Reclamation, Region 4, submitted an economic juStification report, The summary
<br />sheet plan states: Flows of the Gunnison River will be largely controlled by the Blue Mesa
<br />Reservoir, the larger and uppermost of the two reservoirs, Water released from the Blue Mesa
<br />Reservoir through a power plant at the dam wi II receive short-term regulation at the Morrow
<br />Point Reservoir immediately downstream, Water releases through the Morrow Point Dam and
<br />powerplant will be relatively uniform in order to satisfy downstream water rights and to maintain
<br />a flow of 1 00 second-feet or more through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National
<br />Monument, (p. XXIII)
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<br />Reservoir Operations were designed to simulate the following water releases at Morrow Point
<br />Dam:
<br />I, A minimum annual release of 756, 000 acre-feet,
<br />2, Sufficient water to permit diversions through the Gunnison tunnel in arry month that are equal
<br />to or greater than the maximum recorded diversions for that month since completion of the
<br />Taylor Park Reservoir in 1937,
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<br />B-7
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<br />'This is a separate document submitted after the legislative hearings, It is not included in
<br />the six volume set referenced earlier,
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<br />002713
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