WSP03456

• File Number: 7630.425
• Description: Wild and Scenic - Piedra River
• State: CO
• Basin: Western Slope
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 1/29/1976
• Author: Various
• Title: News Articles-Press Releases - Piedra Wilderness - 1-29-76 through 2-4-77
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: News Article/Press Release

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"Home oflhe World', Laranl and Hout's' ~tlllt'raJ Spring"
\'OLUME 68 -l'IiO. 9 Pagoy. Spring.., Arl'huleta Count)'. Colorado 81147

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Independent In E\t"r)lhlng, ;\'eutralln ~oth.;'.r

nruRsDAl'. JAXUAR'i 13, 1917

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The prevailing semimenl COl;- that it was time that studies came Pil-dra Wild and Scenic River Act
ressed at the workshop con. to an end and managemcrll....u sludy be dropped and that the
ueled by the Forest Service started. _ area re..-ert to its original status
'ueMla;.' night seemed to be. Vie Poma presented the For~~ under _Jorest Service manage-
'don't do anything that will Sen'1cc offtdals prC'S('nl with a menl.
amagl' priva\l~ property rights'" pdion L"Ontaining more than 1000
.lso nOliceable wa!> an opinion signature!> that requested Ihal Ihe
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There ""ere approximllt~ly 50
people present for the \\.orkshop
\ in addition to FMest Service and
Stale personnel. Of thaI number
.lbout 18<;. re-presented vanous
.. environmental grou~ and were
not residents of this area. Walt
i Wernet. ~tudy learn leader for the

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Piedra Wild and Scenic River.
Study. explained the findings of
the team to dale. the \<arious
alternatives thai were being
considered. and further schedules
fMthestudy.
Biggest concern. and one that
was expressed ofr.en. .....asover the
possibility that pnVJ:lte property
...would be condemned and Ihat
..'aler righls would also be
condemned. Much of this ....as due
to the fact that the study stated
that the Forest Service believed
that the East Fork of the Piedra
could be included in the designa,
tion. if a free flowing stalus of the
!>Iream was eMablished.
At the present time the stream
is the source of much of the
ilTigation water for ranche'!i in
thaI area. Too. concern was
expressed over the fact that
ponion!> of the Weminuche Creet.
were being considered for eligi-
bilit). These objections .....ere
based on the fact that a bill in
Congress. introduced bv Con.
gressman Frank E\'ans. 'specifi.
call}" e:\"c!uded all tributaries to
the main stream of the Piedra.
There was also concern that this
might eventually lead to condem_
nation of w.ater rights upstream
on Ihe Weminuche.
Oth~r public mee-tings in other
areas are scheduled on the plan
for manag~ment of Ihe Piedra
Area by the Forest Senire .and
ab,'ut the findings of the stud\
under rhe Wild and Scenic Rh'c',
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