WSP03658

• File Number: 8126.700
• Description: Arkansas River Coordinating Committee - Committees - Subcommitees
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 6/1/1995
• Author: ARCC - WAS
• Title: Water Availability Information Sheet
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Data

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Fax

Jut 31 08:25

Allan D. (Dave) MII/ar
P.O. Box 567
Palmer Lake, Colorado 80133
(719)48/-2003 . FAX[phone]

July 31,1995

Mr. Greg E. Walcher, President
Club 20, .Voice of the Western Slope"
P.o. Box 550
Grand Junction, Colorado 81502

Dear Greg:

Many thanks for your July 21st West Slope policy letter on
use of Colorado's surplus ColoradO River Compact entitlements.

The West Slope's late great Senator Wayne Aspinall would
surely not agree with your position that East Slope water
shortages are not a concern tor the water-rich West Slope area.
Senator Aspinall fully appreciated the fact that unallocated
state waters belong to all Coloradans under our constitution. He
specifically justified the river regulating capabilities of Blue
Mesa Reservoir to allow development of the state's unused waters
for both slopes.

Colorado leaders should stop ignoring the facts. The dryer
East Slope rural and urban areas are faced with a growing water
shortage. On the other hand the West Slope has a growing water
surplus, due to the long-term switch from irrigated agriculture
to tourism, retirement, light manufacturing; etc.

All of Colorado's transmountain water is currently from the
Colorado River Main stem Basin west of Denver. As a result, most
of Colorado's unused Colorado River Compact losses are from the
wetter, but overlooked Gunnison Basin. Colorado urgently needs a
high altitude Gunnison storage capability to conserve some ot its
currently wasted snowmelt during the heavy runoff years. This
saved water will then be available for low-cost gravity delivery
to river environments on both slopes during the damaging multi-
year drought cycles.

If Colorado leaders like the drought and recreation benefits
of the new 60,000 acre foot Wolford Mountain Reservoir, they
should absolutely love the proposed 900,000 acre foot upper
Gunnison reservoir. This single reservoir can guarantee adequate
flows for the Gunnison, Colorado, South Platte, and Arkansas
River environments during many years of severe drought. It will
alSO provide needed flood control, reduce Western evaporation
losses, protect endangered species, and serve as a world class
Lake Trout fishery.