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~' '1' ..' . ,,\ , ~ " ~",.. Z,' " ~.., . ~/. , ._.r',,: ~8Ql FRYINGPAN-ARKA-"lSAS PROJECT, COLORADO ,19 River Storage Act. However, agreement has now been reached that the Fryingpan-Arkansas proj&t will pay the entIre cost of the reservoir. I feel that we have a better project because of this change. The Aspen Reservoir was a compensating reservoir to protect the water users of the western sloJle and had a capacity of g8,000 acre-feet. The Ruedi Reservoir has a storage capacity of 100,000 acre-feet, and will be of far greater benefit to the water users of the western slope. In my opinion, the project now before you is the best project that has been presented to the committee for its approval. The estimated cost of the Fryingpan project has not changed since the hearings last year, and remains at $169,905,000. This entire amount wm be repaid to the Federal Government except. the alloca- tion to flood control and fish and wildlife. Last year t,he water grouJls of both the east and west slopes were able to get together on the details of this project, and agreed on a bill. You will observe from the witnesses who appear that there is no division in our ranks so far a.s this project is concerned. Most of the committee members are familiar with the project and some have persoRally visited tho site in Colorado. Some of you have participated in all of the four previous heariugs. Every effort will be made to give the new members of the committee full and complete information on the project, and the reasons why its early authoriza- tion and cORstruction are so imfortant to the State of Colorado, and particularly to the water users 0 the Arkansas Valley. The project provides for the tronsmouutain diversion of water from the west slope to the east slope of Colorado. The water is token from the Colorado Ri,'er DaslI1 alld will be used in the Arkansas Valley of Colorado. The transmittal letters and details of the project are contained in House Document 187 of the 83d Congress. New op- erating principles were agreed upon with the inclusion of the Ruedi Dam, which are contained in House DocumeRt 130 of the 87th Congress. This is a multiple-purpose project and provides for supplemental irrigation water, municip'ul water, electric power, and flood cont.rol, as well os fish and wildlIfe benefits. Under the project the Arkansas Valley in Colorado will have about 183,000 acre-feet of additional water, of which 69,100 acre-feet will be new water diverted from the west slope into the Arkansas Valley. Three reservoirs will capture intermittent f1oodflows of the Arkansas River and thereby make it possible to reregulate this water. . This project will make additional elcctrico,l enc"!,'Y available to sout.heT"n Colorado. There is now a shorta.ge. of power in this area. I have three rurnl electric cooperft.ives in my aistrict, and n. fourth 'Which serves customers in the distrl~" These REA cooperath'es are seeking additional power, ~nd ha ve' 'Y~,giYen this project their ent.huHin.stic support.. There w1l1 be n ret Y IDarket for all of the power p:enerate? by t.he seven hydroelectric plants included in this project. This 1'1'0]- e?t ~las t,h~. i~ort of the N at.ional Rur.nl :"Iectric Cooperat.i ve. Asso- elat.IOIl, a . Ie' Col?rado State AssocmtlOn of Rural ElectrIC Co- operatives...t he pro]ec~ is als? supported by the South~rn CO]OJ:a?o Power Co., and lhe PublIc ServICe Co. of Colorado, the prIvate utIlItIes serving the areea.