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.'. '. .. .' 2991 . , Royce J. Tipton Consulting EngineG~ Denver, Colorado Septembe~ 10, 1952 MEl.:ORJ,NDUM TO JUDGE STONE: Subject: Proposed Narrows Reservoir Project knticipating that I may not be her-e at the time the propcsed NarrO'lIs Reservoir Project is again given consideration by the Colorado \'1ater Con- servation Board, I am outlining herein my thoughts in this connection so they can be p"esented to the Board. The history of the project is YTell known to the Board so I will merely give a .brief summar;,' of it in order to form the back,:round for ~J conclusions. The project was authorized as a part of the ?~esident's emergency flood-control program following the floods in the L:,s3ouri River Basin in 1947. After authorization. of the project, the U.S. Bu~eau of Reclamation established a camp and field office near Fort Morgan and waS in the process of mahng detailed pre-riesir;n exploration of the Narrows dam site VQth the objectiv~ of preparing the project for construction at an early date, when the Co~~~~cto Dater Conservation Board requested the Bureau to make stuc'i'2s 0;' :tlternative dmn sites having in mind reducing to a minimum the a~Qunt c.f. icr:2.Gated land ,that would be e;:tinguished by the construction and opc:":.':.ion of the reservoir. In addition to the concern of the resident" of -:ieldona Valle;)' vThose land \'loClld be inundated by the reservoir, other local interests expressed con~ern regardinG the follow-. ing matters: 1. Possibility of &dverse effect of the operation of the Narrmvs Reservoir on the use of yeater under existing water rights. 2. Possibility of a decree being entered in favor of Narrm.s Reservoir which would operate &gainst the multiple fillings of the reservoirs which have onl"' in a few cases been decreed but which nevertneless have been a co~~on practice in the South Platte Valley. 3. The adverse effect of a decree entered in favor of Narrows Reservoir on the water supplies of other potential reservoirs located on the tributaries of the South Platte. The Bureau of Reclamation fully cooperated with the Colorado Water Conservation Board and made studies of all alternative dam sit9s which were suggested. The principal site that was studied as an alternative to the Narrows was the so-called Fort Morgan site which is much nearer the town of Fort !lorgan than the Harror;s site, but which was thought at the time would result in the inUi1dation of SO'!le 2,000 acres of Vleldona Valley less than would be inundated by the Ha"rons Reservoir.