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

and the Chatfield Reservoir under construction, materially reduce the
flood damage potential of the South Platte River at metropolitan Denver
and downstream rural reaches. This plan, which is physically and
economically feasible of attainment, consists of a multiple-purpose
dam and reservoir project for flood control and recreation purposes.
The reservoir would provide storage principally for control of
floods, but the sediment reserve zone of the reservoir would be
utilized to impound a recreation pool. The recreation pool of 130
surface acres would serve as the central basis for development of
project lands to augment diversified recreation potentials. The
recreational features of project development would assist in meeting
the current and future recreation requirements of the metropolitan
region. The recreational enhancement functions of the project would
require 50 percent cost sharing for the separable costs of capital
developments and assumption of all costs for operation, maintenance
and replacement of the recreation enhancement functions by non-Federal
interests. The recreation functions are economically justified.

The report recommends that the plan of improvement for the South
Platte River basin in Colorado, approved by the Flood Control Act of
1950, be modified to include immediate construction of a multiple-
purpose dam and reservoir on Bear Creek at an estimated first cost to
the Federal Government for construction of $20,851,000. Of this amount,
an estimated $518,500, representing a 50 percent share of the separable
costs allocated to the recreation enhancement functions of the project,
would be repaid with interest within fifty years, or would be contributed
in cash or in kind during project construction. An estimated $149,000 of
the costs repayable by non-Federal interests would be expended by non-
Federal interests for purchase of water to provide the initial filling
of the recreation pool. This purchase would represent a contribution in
kind toward the non-Federal repayment obligation, leaving an estimated
$369,500 as the net sum of repayment.

The site of the recommended project would require relocation of a
portion of the route proposed for improvements of Colorado Highway 70.
Early authorization would permit substantial savings in high~ relocation
costs. The report recommends authorization of initial appropriations
to facilitate such relocations and achieve savings in public funds.
The report recommends further that, following authorization of the
project, detailed site investigations and design be made for the purpose
of accurately defining the project lands required, that subsequently
advance acquisition be made of title to such lands as may be required
to preserve the site against incompatible developments, and that the
Chief of Engineers be authorized to participate in the construction or
reconstruction of transportation and utility facilities in advance of
project construction as required to preserve such areas from encroach-
ments and avoid increased costs for relocation.

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