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<br />~'~~~1 <br /> <br />-49"'" <br /> <br />Annual depletion of the Colorado River <br /> <br />17,100 a.f. <br /> <br />Benefit-cost ratio <br /> <br />1. 48: 1 <br /> <br />Total annual benefits <br /> <br />$3,383,000 <br /> <br />Environmental Impact <br /> <br />1. Temporary disturbance of water quality during construction. <br /> <br />2. Fishery quality of the Uncompahgre River will be increased by <br />including a variable outlet in Ridgway Dam for temperature control of <br />water. released and by providing minimum flows substantially in excess <br />of what has been historically recorded. <br /> <br />3. Minor impacts on aesthetics, big game movement, and stream flows <br />used as fisheries are expected to be resolved. <br /> <br />Local Interest <br /> <br />j <br />r <br />I <br /> <br />Local residents,westarnslope interests in Colorado, State officials <br />and outside interests are urgently backing the development of the Dallas <br />Creek Project as a means of utilizing water resources of the Uncompahgre <br />River Basin. Project supporters were influential in having the project <br />included in the list of potential developments designated by Congress as <br />having priority in the completion of planning reports in the Colorado <br />River Storage Project Act of April 11, 1956. Project sponsorship was the <br />primary purpose for organization of the Tri-County Water Conservancy District <br />in September 1957 by local residents. The district has actively supported <br />the project investigation and has obtained water rights needed for the <br />development. The Colorado Water Conservation Board has made financial <br />contributions for project investigations and has helped coordinate <br />activities of the various agencies engaged in the investigations. The <br />City of Montrose is energetically supporting the project and meeting <br />with various interests to promote its development. <br /> <br />Conclusions and Recommendations <br /> <br />The Dallas Creek Project appears to be one of the better projects now <br />under consideration in Colorado. Its primary pUrpose would be to provide <br />a municipal, domestic and supplemental irrigation water supply for a <br />predominantly rural area which is now experiencing considerable residential <br />and industrial growth. The project would stabilize the irrigation supplies <br />for presently irrigated lands. <br /> <br />The environmental impact of the project will be minimal. The existing <br />Uncompahgre River below the proposed reservoir site at the present time <br />has very little fishery value. As a matter of fact, the entire Uncompahgre <br />River has very little fishery value. However, with the construction of <br />the reservoir and subsequent controlled releases, fishery values of the <br />river would increase many times over. The recreational aspect of the <br />reservoir itself would have a high value to the area. <br /> <br />3 <br />