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.,.1 r~~?) ~_~J~ The Flat Tops Project sponsored by the Colorado River Water Conservation District is also a pumped storage project, with the main storage reservoir of 131,03~ acre-feet situated at the Meadows called the Rio Blanco Reservoir. A collection system on Patterson Creek would supply some of the storage water for Rio Blanco Reservoir. Another reservoir located in South Fork Canyon, called South Fork Canyon Res- ervoir. will store 85.000 acre-feet and will be capable of providing 13,500 kilowatts of pumped storage peaking power in conjunction with a , forebay at Crater Lake. Appropriation date for the Flat Tops is October 31, 1961, for some 131,000 acre-feet. The CRWCD received a preliminary permit from the FPC for the Flat Tops Project on December 11, 1972. Two additional projects involving a reservoir at the South Fork Canyon site are the South Fork Reservoir and Pipeline Project and the Fourteen Mile Reservoir proposed by the Fourteen Mile Land Company. Appropriation dates for the South Fork Reservoir and Pipeline Project and the Fourteen Mile Land Pr~ject are September 14. 1964, for some 85.000 acre-feet and June 24. 1964, for 86,000 acre-feet, respectively. The water to be developed by all these projects is basically the same water and represents an average annual supply of 70,000 to 100,000 acre-feet. The Sweetwater Project (Rocky Mountain Power Company) involves the diversion of water from the White River into the Colorado River above Glenwood Springs. At this time, it is believed that the White River basin contains the richest deposits of oil shale to be found in western Colo- rado. The White River basin also contains a considerable amount of coal. If a major oil shale industry eventually gets under way, it appears that the major activity will be in the White River basin. Con- siderable water supplies will therefore be required. The various water development projects described in this memorandum all involve the con- struction of water storage and diversion facilities in the Meadows area of the South Fork of the White River. The Meadows area is not included within the boundaries of the wilderness area proposed by S. 702. The headwaters of the South Fork. as well as most of the lower stretches of the stream, would be included in the proposed wilderness area. It is not entirely clear to us why the central part of the stream as it flows through the Meadows area has been excluded. It is possible that this area has been excluded so as to permit the proposed water development in the Meadows area. If 50, this exclusion is self- defeating insofar as the wilderness area is concerned. in that the Memorandum -4- July 5, 1973