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. . Most opponents of the Narrows project concede that channel storage on the Lower South Platte River is desirable, but they argue that such storage should be constructed at the Weld County site. It has been suggested that this could be done under the present authorization. During the course of congressional hearings on the project, Congress was made fully aware of the controversy between the two potential damsites. The authorizing legislation is clear and unambiguous on this point and states that "t:'he principal features of the Narrows unit shall include the Narrows Dam and Reservoir. . ." The specific language is hardly open to an interpretation that it was the intent of Congress to authorize a dam in Weld County many miles upstream. Since authorization of the Narrows project, new principles and standards for water resource planning have been adopted by the United States Water Resources Council (Oct. 25, 1973). These principles pro- vide in part as follows: "Authorized plans or projects that are substan- tially reformulated as a result of application of these principles and standards will be submitted to Congress for reauthorization. . ." (Sec. IE) At the time of the adoption of the new principles and standards, the Narrows project had already been authorized and funded. Construction of the project therefore has been approved by the President and Congress in successive appropriation bills under the criteria existing at the time of project authorization. Reformulation of the project at this time would almost certainly require reauthorization and the application of a new interest rate, a procedure which probably would be fatal to either the Narrows or Weld ~ounty sites. ~ime estimates for the preparation of a new feasibility report and subsequent presentation to and approval by the Congress vary con- siderably. However, the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the state agency with the most experience in this field, estimates that it would take at least five and more likely ten years to carry out this process. In any event, both the state water board and the Bureau of Reclamation believe that a reanalysis of the project based upon the construction of a dam at the Weld County site would be futile. These two agencies point out that under current cost estimates, the Weld County site would cost in excess of $100,000,000 more than the Narrows site. They are of a firm opinion that economic justification of the Weld County site is not possible. Among the arguments advanced by the opponents of the Narrows project is that the Bureau of Reclamation has greatly overestimated the flood control benefits from the Narrows project and the reservoir space required for flood control. It has been pointed out to the Governor that the Bureau of Reclamation does not alone make these determinations. It is the responsibility of the United States Army Corps of Engineers to -5-