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<br />DRAFT <br /> <br />because there was federal funding available to build the entire <br /> <br />transbasin diversion project including the additional storage. <br /> <br />As discussed, the bargaining position of the West Slope was <br /> <br />exceptionally strong because of the position of its congressional <br /> <br />representatives. <br /> <br />As a result, <br /> <br />two maj or <br /> <br />I <br />storage projects have <br /> <br />been built without cost to the West Slope. At the same time, the <br /> <br />East Slope conservancy districts gained access to exceedingly low <br /> <br />cost federal funding and construction support. <br /> <br />It was a deal no <br /> <br />one could turn down. <br /> <br />Seen in this 1 ight, it is clear why the Colorado law is <br /> <br />aimed only at conservancy districts. <br /> <br />These entities were <br /> <br />authorized specifically to be able to tap into federal reclama- <br /> <br />tion funding. <br /> <br />Federal largess enabled the additional cost <br /> <br />r epr esen ted by compensa tory storage to be ,more easi ly absorbed <br /> <br />into project costs. <br /> <br />Since the City of Denver was financing its <br /> <br />projects wi thout federal support it was excl uded from hav ing to <br /> <br />provide compensatory storage. <br /> <br />With major federal financing for water storage pr1ljects no <br /> <br />longer available it is time to reevaluate the compensatory <br /> <br />storage concept. <br /> <br />Such projects are expensive to build. <br /> <br />There <br /> <br />are few remaining sites that are both technically desirable and <br /> <br />environmentally and politically acceptable. <br /> <br />Apparently little <br /> <br />demand has yet developed for the storage already constructed.91 <br /> <br />9lIn 1984 Exxon obtained the first long-term service <br />contract from the Bureau of Reclamation for 7,200 acre-feet of <br />water from Ruedi Reservoir to be used in connection with its <br />Colony oil Shale project. porzak," Innovative Transfer and <br />Exchange Plans," Paper presented at Conference on Colorado Water <br /> <br />36 <br />