WSP01521

• File Number: 8443.400
• Description: Narrows Unit Reports
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 6/15/1974
• Author: US DOL BOR
• Title: Draft Social Assessment of the Proposed Narrows Unit and Alternatives Thereto
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

031~
J With respect to the selection of the Narrows site, there

are both benefits and costs. On the positive side, the overall

development of communities in the general vicinity of the flood

pool and downstream will be significantly affected in various

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ways. Economic health, recreation, general progress and commu-

nity pride are some of the benefits. Few costs would be borne

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by these communities. On the negative side, residents of the

Weldon Valley who will be displaced if this alternative is

adopted will suffer in some cases severe hardship in association

with the move and subsequent start of life in a new location.

This especially is true for the elderly, the poor, the Spanish-

surnamed, and the late middle-aged families. At the level of

reimbursement presently prescribed for existing homes and small

farms, it is likely that many of these individuals would be

unable to locate comparable or even adequate housing. Farms

in the area are also hard to find, and there are major startup

costs (both personal and financial) to having to start allover

again. At present there is a serious shortage of housing of

suitable quality in the area; the prospects of meeting this

shortage in the near term are not great.

With respect to the Hardin site, the benefits and costs

are generally similar but smaller in scale. Fewer people live

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there and thus fewer would have to be displaced. One major

difference however, is that far more jobs are involved. More

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than 200 persons would be displaced from the labor force and

new jobs would be hard to find for some of them. A second

difference is that the location is less desirable from the

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