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'. Report to LUC Narrows Project Jim Ohi Page 3 0003 5. A final EIS, which will include responses to comments received by the USBR on the draft EIS, is scheduled to be filed with the CEQ in April. After a 30-day period for comments, the USBR hopes to begin buying land for the darn in June 1976. Because of Mr. DeVilbiss' questions concerning the status of water rights related to the project, I would like to address this issue separately. 1. On July 15, 1970, the District Court in Weld County awarded the CCWCD and the LSPWCD a conditional decree for the storage of 718,147 acre-feet with a priority date of August 2, 1957. The uses of water awarded in the decree are for "present and future uses for irrigation, domestic, industrial, power, municipal, fish and wildlife, recreation and other beneficial uses". 2. On October 18, 1973, the Water Court of Water Division I extended the conditional decree "subject to a showing by the applicants on or before October, 1977 of continued reasonable diligence in the perfection of said conditional rights". The court cited the expansion of the LSPWCD by 15,000 acres "in contemplation of construction of the reservoir" and the expenditure of money by the LSPWCD to prepare maps and other data which relate "to the taking of various surface rights in contemplation of condemnation" as evidence, in part, of "reasonable diligence" by the applicants. I will now describe what I perceive to be the major issues concerning the Narrows project. 1. The innundation of 3 communities and the displacement of 150 farm families--community and personal ties will be severed, and economic and emotional hardships will be suffered by the residents of the valley. According to the draft EIS, "the loss of personal and community values . . . . are unavoidable and cannot be adequately evaluated or compensated for". (page VI-6). 2. The USBR'S cost/benefit assumptions and calculations for the project have been questioned-- (a) According to the USBR, the project has a favorable C/B ratio of 1.4/1 based on a 100 year period with an interest rate of 3 1/4% annually. The current interest rate specified by the Water Resources Council, a Cabinet-level federal coordinating council, is 5.875% (Chatfield Dam final EIS, p. 9).