WSP01174

• File Number: 8449.900
• Description: South Platte Projects - Bear Creek
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Date: 1/1/1968
• Author: USACOE
• Title: Bear Creek Basin, South Platte River and Tributaries, Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska - Letter from the Secretary of the Army
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

The Bureau advises that general agreement has been reached by the
representatives of the Federal and State agencies on the elements
of the revised recreation plan with the exception that non-Federal
interests bear the costs of acquiring water needed to establish
the recreation and fish and wildlife enhancement purposes of the
project. The Bureau believes that non-Federal interests should
acquire the needed water. However, since this water is essential
to the achievement of these purposes, the non-Federal interests
should be credited with the value of the water toward their share of
recreation costs, in accordance with the provisions of the Federal
Water Project Recreation Act.

It is our understanding that the details of the revised recreation
plan are being worked out jointly by our respective field staffs and
a report on this matter will be forthcoming.

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We, therefore, recommend that you modify your report to include the
revised recreation development plan which will provide for the
realization of the recreation potentials of the proposed improvement.
Further, we recommend that non-Federal interests be credited for the
cost of water acquisitions for initial filling of the recreation pools
as a contribution in kind toward the cost-sharing obligation.

The Fish and Wildlife Service is pleased that your plan for Bear Creek
Basin provides for the recommendations of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries
and Wildlife concerning authorized project purposes, timber clearing
specifications, public-use zoning, and public use of project lands
and waters. Although the District Engineer in his report did not
discuss the Bureau's recommendations concerning a minimum instantaneous
release from the dam or a General Plan for the administration of
project lands and waters, the Service assumes from his assertion that
the project plan is compatible with, the Bureau's recommendations that
the recommended project provide for the accomplishment of these items.

The Federal Water Pollution Control Administration notes that during
the summer, the city of Englewood diverts water from Bear Creek to
meet its municipal water requirement. Poor quality water in Mt.
Carbon Reservoir or downstream from it would probably increase the
city's water treatment costs.

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The District Engineer's report states that the limited water resources
in Bear Creek Basin preclude provision of storage to regulate stream-
flow for water quality control. In view of the potential sources of
pollution cited above, however, the Federal Water Pollution Control
Administration recommends that a minimum flow of not less than 10
cfs be maintained to prevent pollution that would impair recreational
and other beneficial uses of Bear Creek.

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