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<br />ErO'aNn introduces I
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<br />compromise bin"
<br />on' [Poudre-:River
<br />: . '. ,'JOJUJ95 ,v~., ~'",
<br />"BYMIKEPETERS'~ ~. billa year ago., but it bogged down in
<br />. TrIDUn. SItH "',m..., '\ CoDgr~... nus time. the negotia.
<br />,,~~._...: LOVELA....1). -: A ~e ,Cache~. tioos w~very fruitful. and the)'_
<br />+~~!~~ Poudre comp~e bill. ~ to be '. represent a uniq~ area where water
<br />. _ .';.;., better than the bill that faileda year ",users and eoVU'onmeoLalists got
<br />ago, has been lIltrocluced by, U.s. together." '. ~
<br />~ Rep. Ha~ B~wn, R-Colo. .. . .The bill would designate 31 miles
<br />The bill Will designate 75 miles 0{ of the river as ''wild.'' and. 44 miles
<br />the Poudre River as the state's fll"St as "recreational" .
<br />wild ::lnd scenic nver and mark tw"o. !be "wild" designation. which is
<br />areas for dams In the lower basin the most retrictive and means
<br />near fort Collin!. '" mueh 01 the river is inaccessible
<br />\ Brown. ot Gree~ey. announced the ex~pt by trail, would apply to ~
<br />\j,proposed legtSlauon It a telephone arus:
<br />, inev."S confe~nce in Loveland today . Beginning at pou&e Lake- and is
<br />. ,...tt the offices of the Northern miles downstream to the confluence
<br />._ ~ Colorado Water Conservancy Ois. of Joe Wright Creek. This area will
<br />,;; :--::~,..:;.; trict.. 'f be designated the Peter H. Dominick
<br />.. ~._: ~~-;. Saying the bill was a product of Wild River Area in hooot of the late
<br />. . '.' dedicated work on both sides - Colorado sena~r who sponsored
<br />water users and conservationists - legislation authori%Ulg a federal
<br />Bro"-'ll said the Poudre will "be study of Colorado rivrrs in 1973;
<br />better off in ter1ll3 of scenic designa- . The South Fort of the river from
<br />tion. water storage and water use." its source, four miles to the' Com-
<br />Designation of the Poudre has m&nc.he Peak Wllderness boundary;
<br />been a hot topic in northern Colorado . The South Fork of the river from
<br />for se\'eral years. The Preserve Our an area north of Pingne Pm eight
<br />Poudre group supported the wild and miles totbe maiD stem of tbe river.
<br />scenic designation for the eotire The "recreatioaa.1" designation is
<br />river in PoucIre Canyon. while Coa. less nstrictive aDd applies to areas
<br />serve Our P~. a group based in ol the river that are readily ac-
<br />~ Greeley, urged caution and didn't cessible and may have shoreline
<br />...~..,~.~.,..; waot to restnct the river from water developmeot, impoundments and
<br />. .. ~.- ....::. .
<br />users. divenioos. Designated as ''recre-
<br />The new bill satisfies both sides, atioaal" are:
<br />according to Brown and repre- . Tbirty~ miles downstrum
<br />sentatives of the two grotJl:S woo from where Joe Wright Creek meets
<br />were present at tbeo confem:a. the Poudre to a point east of Poudre
<br />" : I Chuck Wanner, leade of POP, Park;
<br />said: "Today is quite a day for us. . From the Commanche Peak
<br />We are quite satisfied with the Wilderness boundary, seven miles to
<br />compromise. ~use this is the flnt a point 00 the South Fort of the
<br />chance for a wild and sceNe: nver in ri~.
<br />':::-:":'::. the state."
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<br />_ . . Larry Simpson. gr:neral manager
<br />of the NeWCD, 5ald; "We adueved
<br />.....hat we !.hought .....as a compromise
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<br />The designatioos involve 24,360
<br />acres of land, including 19.720 ac:reas
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<br />See POUDRE. Page A12
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<br />* Poudre
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<br />of federal land. 1,300 acres of state'
<br />land. 120 acres owned by the City of
<br />Fort Collins and 2,560 acres of
<br />private land. Brown said the ac.
<br />quisltion of private land will be
<br />handled later, if the owners want to
<br />sell or trade it
<br />In addition to designating the
<br />recrealional and wild areas of the
<br />river. two dam sites are recognized
<br />in the compromise, Both the Grey
<br />:~~~~~ Mountain Reservoir and Glade Res-
<br />ervoir would be located in the lower
<br />reach~ of the river basin. closer to
<br />Fort Collins. Grey Mountain would
<br />include a possible hydroelectric
<br />plant, plus a divel"5ion to carry
<br />water to nearby Glade ReservOir,
<br />which would be located north of
<br />Ted's Place on CoJo. 287.
<br />W.O. Farr of. Greeley', wbo .....as
<br />celebrating his 30th year as a Weld
<br />County director for the NCVr'CD
<br />attended the announcement and said
<br />"';:'.. it was "wonderful. It gives us the
<br />.' storage possibilities for water lISen
<br />and the river designations for the
<br />environmental groups. That's the
<br />key."
<br />Brown said the major difference
<br />between the new bill and the one that '
<br />died a year ago is "this provides a..
<br />greater d~igo.ation of the river aad
<br />~ gJ.\'es us more water options. We also \
<br />hope the major diffenace is that
<br />we'll have the national conservation
<br />'. ~.:-. groups behind the new bill."
<br />-:'~~~: National groups such as the Sierra
<br />Club ....ere accused of killing last
<br />year" bill. But Tim Johnson. a
<br />rtpraeotative of the Sierra Club at
<br />the Conference.. said: '1'be major
<br />dif!ererJC1! (in this bill) is that we all
<br />agree."
<br />U HR 3547 - the number' of the bilI
<br />- is passed, the Poudre will be the
<br />flrst wild and scenic river in Col.
<br />orado. and Browtl said he hopes the
<br />bill would set . precedent for
<br />settling slate water disputes. nus
<br />type of compromise can apply to a
<br />variety of water con!licts in Col.
<br />orado. Brown said.
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