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<br />III. The environmental impact of the proposed action. <br /> <br />A. Identification of environmental impacts. <br /> <br />1. The development of flood control which would provide protection <br />against 98.7 percent of the predicted Bear Creek flood damages. <br /> <br />2. Changes in \Ute of about 3,000 acres of land. <br /> <br />3. The establishment of specific recreation sites and facilities. <br /> <br />4. The possibility for establishment of a managed, cold-water <br /> <br />fishery . <br /> <br />B. Beneficial aspects discussed. <br /> <br />1, Flood control - Since 1876, 22 floods ranging in severity <br />from minor to major, have occurred in the Bear Creek basin. There has <br />been considerable property damage and some loss of life associated with <br />these floods. Using the year 1966 level of urbanization as a base, <br />average annual flood damages of $744,000 can be expected without the <br />project. Urbanization is rapidly increasing belov the proposed dam site; <br />therefore, there is an ever-increasing need for greater flood protection. <br />By the year 2000 it is expected that, without the project, average <br />annual losses from flooding would be $3,130,000. The project, if implemented, <br />would prevent 98.7 percent of the damages resulting from Bear Creek flooding. <br />Additionally, the project vould prevent 92.8 percent of the combined Bear <br />Creek - South Platte River flood damages currently threatening Bear Creek basin. <br /> <br />Extensive mining operations (sand, gravel and clay) have torn up <br />many areas of the landscape. Implementation of the project would bring <br />about a cessation of such mining operations. After cessation, steps <br />would be taken to heal these mining scars through land shaping and revegetation. <br /> <br />2. Land Use - Dedication of some 3,000 acres of project land to <br />public ownership would co~ver~ the area from overgrazed pastureland and <br />other private uses to public use recreation and conservation areas. <br /> <br />Implementation of floodplain zoning would restrict future encroachment <br />on streambanks below the project si~e. Even with the project, under <br />ce~tain combinations of snowmelt and heavy rainfall, residual flood damages <br />from runoff could occur to structures currently located in the floodplain. <br />Such a situation would have a relatively low frequency of annual occurrence, <br />much less than 1.0 percent. However, even with this low probability of <br />occurrence it would not be wise to allow expansion of urbanization into any <br />more of the floodplain than at the present time. In addition to preventing <br />damage from flooding, zoning would improve the aesthetic value of the creek <br />by leaving part of it in a relatively undeveloped, natural state. <br /> <br />4 <br />