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water-based outdoor recreational opportunities along the entire Front Range area. It is within the Coal Creek Basin that continuing immediate studies by the Bureau of Reclamation are considered of utmost importance and are programed under the existing legislative authority to begin in fiscal year 1977. The Front Range Unit is one of the most rapidly expanding areas in Colorado and the Nation from the standpoint of population and urban growth. It covers the major parts of Boulder, Larimer, and Weld Counties and involves three major stream systems and their tributaries. over 130 water districts, five medium-sized cities. and numerous small communities. The information presented here is a summary of detailed technical data compiled during the Bureau's investigations. The background data are retained in the Office of the Regional Director. Lower Missouri Region, Denver Federal Center. Denver, Colorado 80225. The Bureau of Reclamation has played a key role in the planning, construction, and operation of water resource projects in this area for many years. Initially, the work involved the Colorado-Big Thompson Project in which the surplus waters of the western slope of Colorado are transported to the eastern slope to supplement the limited supplies which exist there. .... ~. .f '. ;r- ~~j',,,,'.~., J. f'~' !".c..,'-"t'o .:."'i.-""4ji> --T Marys Lake, Colorado-Big Thompson Project Future planning of water resources in this and other areas by the Bureau of Reclamation will be undertaken in accordance with the Principles and Standards for Water and Related Land Resources developed by the Water Resources Council and approved by the President in August 1973. These procedures encompass the multiple objective planning process in which plans are formulated emphasizing two major objectives, national economic development and environmental quality. Exhibit I-l shows the planning process. To insure that results are acceptable to the persons concerned, public involvement is an integral part of the planning process. The manner in which citizens of the area, as well as State and local officials, view economic development and environmental quality is an important factor in identifying water problems, in determining project goals. and in reviewing alternative plans for development. In response to these new procedures in the Front Range studies. a problems and needs task force was organized, as was atask force on public involvement. Members represented concerned governmental agencies and public and private interests. The work of these task forces was of a preliminary nature at the time it was decided to prepare this status report. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Bureau of Reclamation acknowledges the cooperation received from local and county planning offices and State and Federal agencies in assembling material for this report. Also, a special thanks to all task force participants, particularly those of the Public Involvement Task Force, who contributed valuable information for the studies. '-2