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.-I "" c j J I ...... .... DOMINGUEZ WATER & HYDROPOWER PROJECT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - 1996 The information presented here has been taken from extensive studies which are available for detailed review. This presentation was prepared only as an overview of the Project" The proposed Dominguez Water & Hydropower Project is located on the Gunnison River, approximately 8"5 miles upstream from the city of Grand Junction, Colorado and approximately 38 river miles from the Utah state line" Feasibility studies on the Project were begun by the United States Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau) in 1971 and culminated with a summary of these studies being published in 1984" Over a fifteen year study period the Bureau and other agencies spent in excess of $9,000,000 in 1996 dollars, resulting in 13 completed engineering studies" During this study period, the Bureau reduced their plans to two primary alternatives" Plan A would be to generate electrical peaking power, while the emphasis of Plan B would be to ensure a water supply for municipal and industrial use" Subsequent to the issuance of the 1984 Planning Report, the Bureau placed the Dominguez Project on hold as a result of cut backs in Federal funding for water projects and the reduction in emphasis on the development of fossil fuel projects in western Colorado" The Commissioners of Mesa and Delta counties appointed residents of the area to the Mesa County Dominguez Reservoir Advisory Council to serve as a citizen interface with the Bureau during the study period. Subsequent to the Bureau placing the project on hold, the Advisory Council continued its support and efforts to bring the Project to fruition" The Project has large support locally as evidenced by the Advisory Council obtaining over 18,652 signatures of local citizens in support of the Project. To advance the Project and act as the legal entity for the residents of Mesa and Delta Counties, the Dominguez Reservoir Corporation (DRC), a Colorado not-for-profit corporation was organized in July of 1988. Western States Water and Power has filed in District Court an application for water storage rights sufficient for the Project.