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<br />...-I <br />~ <br />C"". <br />o <br />~- <br />~$i) <br /> <br />SUMMARY <br /> <br />The Dominguez Reservoir Project would be located in a canyon of the <br />lower Gunnison River that transects Mesa and Delta Counties in west- <br />central Colorado. The project would involve that stretch of the Gunnison <br />River from the city of Delta in Delta County downstream to its con- <br />fluence with the Colorado River at Grand Junction in Mesa County. <br /> <br />The purpose of the planning studies was to develop unused flows of <br />the Gunnison River to meet present and future needs of Delta and Mesa <br />Counties, the State of Colorado and the entire marketing area of the <br />Colorado River Storage Project. To some degree each of these areas is <br />experiencing accelerated industrial and residential growth incited <br />primarily by the Nation's search for new energy sources. Delta and Mesa <br />Counties, in proximity to developing oil shale, coal, uranium and petro- <br />leum resources, are especially affected by this growth. ' <br /> <br />Present and projected needs have been identified in the project <br />area for additional power, municipal and industrial water, recreation, <br />improved water quality, enhancement and preservation of fish and wildlife <br />and cultural resources. <br /> <br />Alternatives Considered <br /> <br />Representative alternatives <br /> <br />More than 40 general alternatives were considered by the plan- <br />ning team which incorporated various combinations of identified fea- <br />tures and differing levels of development. The alternatives were <br />initially screened with emphasis on technical and economic considera- <br />tions, practicality of implementation, and public recommendations. <br />Several alternative components were analyzed for providing water for <br />municipal and light industrial use and irrigation. Different development <br />levels were considered, with and without peaking power. Five sites <br />for Dominguez Dam and nine sites for pumpback forebay reservoirs were <br />studied.. <br /> <br />Nine plans were selected for further consideration. Six of the <br />plans provide for a reservoir on the Gunnison River with a baseload <br />powerplant at the dam and a separate pumpback peaking powerplant; one <br />plan with a reservoir and a baseload powerplant only; one plan without a <br />storage impoundment but with recreational and environmental features and <br />provision of M&I water by pumping; and an environmental quality emphasis <br />plan with environmental considerations only. From these nine alterna~ <br />tives, which are displayed on Table S-l, four were selected as candidate <br />plans--plans 3, 7, 8, 9. <br /> <br />i <br />