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<br />THE DENVER POST
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<br />DONALD F.IIUNT, Publisher
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<br />F, GILMAI! SPENCEI\
<br />F.d1tar'o':~ 1..
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<br />CHUCK GlumN ..
<br />Editor of the Editorial Page
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<br />WILLIAM DEAN SINGLETON, ChRiIman
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<br />RYAN McKIBBEN .
<br />EKecuUve VIce President and Gene1lI1 MIlIlI!/Jel'
<br />KIRK MIdlONALD, VP A~ FlANK DIXON, VPOpel;tioos
<br />Fl\I'nANDEIISON, VP}Inance S'I1MlIl&'lSll, VPOreuJaIion
<br />JAMES JIANMAN, VP HU1ll8JJ /les. KEN CALHOUN, VP Mmteting
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<br />NEIL WESTERGAARD
<br />ExecuUve Editor ..
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<br />ISABRL SPENCEI\
<br />Sunday Editor
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<br />.IEANE'rI'E CHAVEZ
<br />, AIsociate Editor .
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<br />Don:rbetth~[atm on pIa.n.,
<br />to l.~...r;\.,..w.:~~.;." ..t..tlFi"".m' :~y,tas..>:..,,, \l(egas'.
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<br />. ~::THE LAT~T...pJan.,toeXportnos in Las Vegas could keep their
<br />,.... Western Slope water to urban artificial waterfalls running.
<br />, ,.', users far downstream haS dredged up Obviously, this concern will have (
<br />. ,.' more than theusuaI amount of oppo- to be addressed before any. dir$ is . ~
<br />,. sitlon from Colorado water officials, dug. But the issue of FrontRangif ·
<br />F who have repeatedly decried such impacts is hardly the only obstacle
<br />. ; Schemes as a tbreatto entitlements. to the $200 million project.
<br />. ~! Thls time; the critiCs are 'warning . It also could be torpedoed as a
<br />.;'that ,l?rontRange water, ~\IPJ>lies thf!lat to endangered fish, which un-
<br />" 'might be in 'jeoparoy..lI:'I!3t 'should 'der}ederallaw may have a stronger
<br />,.;illarm even those who don't see claim to tbe heavy spring flows that
<br />,.;Jlluch difference between transfer- would be siphoned out of the Colora-
<br />,.ring water to' out-of.state interests do River and trapped behind the new
<br />to the west and diverting it through dam on Roan Creek. Indeed, the U.S..
<br />the mountains to the east. Fish and Wildlife Service has just
<br />, Colorado stands to make milllons proposed designating tbe entire
<br />, n from the proposed deal, under stretch downstream from DeBeque
<br />. :~'which a reservoir would be built to Lake Powell as a critical habitat
<br />north of the small town of DeBeque for the fournatlve species involved.
<br />-, .. ':and the water in it woUld be leased Additionally, the plan might upset .
<br />.~ to Nevada for up to 50 years as an some ongoing negotiations over an
<br />., r interim supply for Las Vegas. interstate . leasing arrangement pro-
<br />, 'I;' . The danger is that the developers pOsed by 10 Indian tribes, which also
<br />.:. of the water in question, Chevron claim rights to waterJrom the Colo-
<br />. .;;;and Getty oll-shale subsidiaries, rado River system. \..
<br />.:; :would have more senior rights than In the long run, Las Vegas might .
<br />;:the users of some eXisting reser- well be able to swing a deal under
<br />. ., voirs upstream ..;.; including the which it could dip a bigger bucket
<br />:. Windy Gap project west of Granby, into Lake Mead. But for the next
<br />.. r which has been seen as a potential several years at least, it should be
<br />source of water for Denver's north- looking for less-speculative ways to
<br />ern suburbs. quench its thirst, such as subsidizing
<br />Sinlply put, this could mean that couservatlon or reserving more agrl-
<br />.. in an extended drought, Front cultural water for municipai use, as
<br />Range residents might have to quit its neighbors in California have
<br />watering their gardens so the cas!- started to do in earnest.
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