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Western Slope reservoir may quench Vegas' thirst around the project has been pro- WATER from Page 1A posed as critical habitat for the legally entitled to under the Colo- . rare fish,by federal biologists. rado River. Compact. Still, Hamill said; there was a "We have a whole series of con- chance the project could be struc- cerns," said Ken Salazar, director tured .(0 benefit the endangered of the Colora!!o Department of fish by increasing streamflows Natural Resources, "There are a during dry summer months, "This lot of questions that need to be an- is a very different project than a swered:' typical consumptive use project," One of the biggest questions is Hamill said. whether the project;. being guided The project would face major by leading'Denver water lawyer obstacles from river managers. Jack Ross, former state Rep. Chris Under current law, there's /lothing. Paulson and Grand Junction water to prevent other water users down- lawyer Andy Williams, could ob- stream in Grand Junction or Utah tainneeded environmental ap-' from siphoning 'off. Chevron-Getty provals, river flows that would be ear- Williams said the U,S. Army marked for delivery to Nevada, Corps of Engineers' already has "The law of the .river takes over. granted the project a key Clean It's a major problem for them," Water Act permit - the same ap- " said Eric Kuhn of the Colorado proval process that tripped up River Water Conservation Dis- Denver's proposed Two Forks . trict, which represents most West- Dam. ern Slope water users. He also said the U.S, Fish and Dan Luecke of the Environmen- Wildlife Service, which protects tal Defense Fnnd, the group that endangered fish species that live led the fight against Two Forks around the proposed project, earli- Dartl;said the project should sub- er gave the reservoir required ap- mit to major new environmental provals, i, reviews because its purpose has . "Wedon'tineed any more per- changed dramatically from an oil- mits. They're all in place," said shale development to a water-Ieas- Williams, who represents Getty ing proposal. Oil, Although Luecke said he'1ikes But John Hamill of the U,S. Fish the goal of the pr9ject, he doesn't and Wildlife Service said major like the way the goal would be ac- changes in the project likely will complished. require another federal review. "I support the idea of leasing Since the Chevron-Getty reservoir water on an interstate basis, but I first was considered, another resi~ . don't think you need additional dent fish, the razorback SUcker, dams to do that," Luecke said, was added to the federal list of en- "You already have enough dams dangered species, and the area. on the system to handle it:'