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. . 2. That the construction of the Narrows project would provide economic benefits to the people of Colorado for generations to come. 3. That if major reservoir storage was to be constructed on the Lower South Platte River in the foreseeable future, it would have to be constructed under reclamation law at the Narrows site. Subsequently, and at the urging of the local people through their duly constituted water conservancy districts, various boards of county commissioners and city councils, including those of Morgan County and the city of Fort Morgan, the state of Colorado transmitted its official comments to the Secretary of the Interior requesting that con- struction of the Narrows project be initiated. However, at about this time, Congress terminated the authorization of those units of the Missouri Basin project upon which construction had not yet started. This policy required the completion of a completely new feasibility report on the Narrows project. A new feasibility report was completed in 1967 and subsequently presented to the Congress. Following submission of the new feasibility report, bills were introduced in both the Senate and House to authorize the Narrows project. Public hearings on tIle project were conducted by the Congress, one of which was held at Fort Morgan in 1968. At tha~hearing, the congres- sional committee was informed that a petition had been signed by 2,741 residents of Morgan County urging that the Narrows Dam be constructed, and that a counter petition against the project had been signed by less than 200 county residents. On August 28, 1970, Public Law 91-389 was enacted reauthorizing the construction of the Narrows unit of the Missouri River Basin project. The initial section of the law provides in part as follows: "Be it enacted bv the Senate and House of Representatives of the united States of America in Conqress assembled, That the Narrows unit, heretofore authorized as an integral part of the Missouri River Basin project by Section 9 of the FlOOd Control Act of December 22, 1944, as amended and supplemented, is heraJY reauthorized as a unit of that project for the purposes of providing irrigation water for one hundred and sixty-six thousand acres of land, flood control. fish and wildlife conservation and development, public outdoor recreation, potential future municipal and industrial supplies, and for other purposes. The construction, operation, and maintenance of the Narrows unit shall be subject to the Federal reclamation laws . . . The principal features of the Narrows unit shall include the Narrows Dam and Reservoir, fish hatchery and rearing ponds, acquisition and development of the existing Jackson Lake Reservoir, including some rehabilitation of Jackson Lake Dam, for public outdoor recreation and fish and wildlife enhancement, and other necessary works and facilities to effect its purpose." -4-