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1723 .j be increased for waterfowl. Sport hunting for other animals such as racoons, coyotes and foxes will be decreased as the result of the res- ervoir inundation of the lands. There will be minor impacts on big game animals. No adverse downstream water quality effects are anticipated. The operation of the dam and reservoir will reduce the seasonal and cyclical fluctuations in the water supply and permit better water quality to be applied to irrigation lands. Construction of the Narrows Dam and Res- ervoir and development of the Jackson Lake Reservoir will create a quality water-oriented outdoor recreation and fish and wildlife resource for public use. Historical or archaeological sites or resources have been surveyed in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act. Protection and preservation of historic and cultural resources will be in compliance with Executive Order 11593 and 36 CFR 800. Current Status Advance planning on the project was essentially completed in 1951. After the project's re-authorization in 1970, advance planning began anew and is now virtually completed. It is expected that repayment contracts for the project will be executed by the Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District, the Central Colorado Water Conservancy Dis- trict, and the state of Colorado in a few months, The available project water has been oversubscribed in the Lower South Platte District and the conservancy board will have to make a decision concerning water allocation. Current flood data necessitated a restudy of the Narrows Dam design which increased the project cost and delayed filing of the envi- To~~ental statement. The Bureau of Reclamation filed a draft environ- mental statement on December 8, 1975. The final statement is scheduled for filing in April 1976. Funds to initiate preconstruction planning were first appropriated in FY 1972. Preconstruction planning has progressed since 1972 with land acquisition scheduled for initiation in June 1976. Initial con- struction contracts for relocation of the Union Pacific railroad are scheduled for late in FY 1977. Through June 30, 1975, a total of $2,140,000 has been expended on the Narrows project from federal funds. Approximately $300,000 has been expended in state funds. Conclusions and Recommendations The South Platte Valley below Denver is one of the leading agri- cultural areas of the United States. It is a major livestock feeding and processing center. Chronic shortages of available water supplies lead to constant litigation and decreased crop yield. The only remaining flows available in the South Platte River for use in Colorado are those which escape at the state line during floods and other high water periods. In 1970 alone, almost 800,000 acre-feet of water reached -3-