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<br />3002 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />- 6 - <br /> <br />be by an intelligent coordinated use of surface and ground water and a <br />part of the capacity of the ground-water reservoir. The ground water in <br />the South Platte river basin is far from being overdeveloped. If a develop- <br />ment were encouraged which would utilize a substantial ihcremer-t of the <br />underground storage capacity below t"e flood plain, the basin de,'elopment <br />would become more nearly stabilized and some "new" wate~ w~uld be made avail- <br />able for use in the basin. The lcwlering of the ground ~ater TIould salvage <br />some water which now is nonbeneficially used by evapotrans?i~~tion in the <br />flood plain. The increment of underground storage would carro' "later over <br />from flush periods to lean ?eriods and would provide some capacity for storing <br />a portion of the South Platte flood flows whicn now in part are evaported and <br />transpired on the flood plain, a~d in. part pass out of the state unused. There <br />are a nu.'1lber of ramifica'Gions sr,rrounding such a plan which will not be <br />discussed here. However, the plan is so logical that with encouragement and <br />proper control it is ih~"itable that it will materialize. After stability <br />has been attained unde~ sucil a plan, then the need for surface storage can <br />better be appraised. <br /> <br />On the other hand, if the Colorado Water Conservation Board decides <br />to endorse the Narrows Reservoir and support its construction, I urge that <br />no decree be entered in favor of Narrows Reservoir for the utilization of <br />flood ,vaters. If this is not possible, then I suggest that such a decree not <br />be sought until the multiple fillings of reservoirs in the South Platte are <br />adjudicatec1 with priority dates predating that of the Narrows Reservoir, and <br />that any other undecreed uses of water within the basin be adjudicated on the <br />same basis. <br /> <br />/s/ R. J. Tipton <br />