Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />:" <br />~';::) <br />t~) <br />(Jt <br />"'-J <br />....:l <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />effective in July, 1983. public involvement would be on a <br />continuous basis throughout the conduct of the study. Planning <br />teams would be formed to conduct the study involving representa- <br />tion from other federal agencies, state agencies, local organiza- <br />tions and agencies, and the general public. <br /> <br />Discussion and Comments <br /> <br />The discussion and comments which follow relate to the <br />major items presented in the Plan of Study (POS), <br /> <br />1. Purpose of the Investigation <br /> <br />The stated purpose of the study "is to verify the <br />existence of the ground water supply believed to be <br />available in the basalt cap of the Grand Mesa and to <br />identify alternatives for development of the resource." <br />This statement appears to be somewhat at odds w~th the <br />sPecial study approach which is to be utilized, under which <br />less emphasis is to be placed on alternatives. It should at <br />least be made clear that the identification of alternatives <br />is a secondary and subsidiary study purpose or, as I <br />subsequently recommend, this purpose should be eliminated <br />from the study. <br /> <br />2. Problems <br /> <br />Estimated M&I water shortages in the Grand and North <br />Fork Valleys for the years 2000, 2010 and 2020 were based on <br />population projections used in the Dominguez Reservoir <br />Project Study. These projections were based, in part, on <br />the demand that would be -created by rapid development of <br />energy resources, principally an oil shale industry. Since <br />this development has not proceeded as predicted, the <br />population projections are probably optimistic and the <br />predicted water shortages are not likely to materialize as <br />estimated, This serves to emphasize the fact that if the <br />study goes forward, it should focus on evaluating the Basalt <br />aquifer, not developing water supply alternatives. <br /> <br />3, Opportunities <br /> <br />Under this item, the POS proposes the exploration of <br />hydropower opportunities from the potential ground water <br />source. This potential is questionable given the fact that <br />during the Dominguez Reservoir study it was concluded that <br />the future need for peaking power would be less than earlier <br />predicted. This condition still prevails. Under the <br />circumstances, the study of hydropower potential ought to. be <br />a very low priority, if it is studied at all. <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />-2- <br /> <br />July 11, 1984 <br />