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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The South Platte Valley below Denver is one of the leading <br />agricultural areas of the united States. It is an area which depends <br />almost entirely upon irrigation for crop production. Shortages of water <br />supplies often reduce crop yields and create uncertain economic condi- <br />tions. No major channel reservoir storage exists on the South Platte <br />River in Colorado. During the period 1950-1970. The average loss of <br />water through lack of reservoir storage was 304,000 feet annually. In <br />1970 alone, almost 800,000 acre-feet of floodwater were lost. The <br />State of Colorado can ill afford the loss of such a valuable natural <br />asset. The monetary benefits alone from the authorized Narrows project <br />are expected to exceed $8,000,000 annually. <br /> <br />Colorado finds itself in a position today that almost fifty <br />percent of its total surface water supplies have been allocated to other <br />states through interstate compacts and federal court decisions. The <br />remaining surface water supplies of the state have been totally appro- <br />priated through decrees awarded by the state courts. One of which has <br />been granted for the storage of water in the authorized Narrows Reser- <br />voir. The needs of our citizens for additional water supplies constantly <br />increase. Growing demands for water uses have brought us into conflict <br />with neighboring states. In recent years, the states of Kansas, New <br />Mexico and Texas have instituted legal action against Colorado in the <br />United States Supreme Court concerning the use of water which originates <br />in Colorado. These and other circumstances have caused a critical <br />search in our state leading to the conservation of flood flows and the <br />reuse of water supplies without infringement upon the rights of other <br />states. The authorized Narrows project is one which meets the criteria <br />of this search. <br /> <br />The need for additional reservoir storage on the Lower South <br />Platte River has long been recognized. Records disclose that in 1910, <br />a filing was made by private interests for the construction of a dam at <br />the Narrows site. At the request of the State of Colorado, the United <br />States Bureau of Reclamation in the early 1940's conducted a reconnaissance <br />survey on the Lower South Platte River in Colorado. In 1944, the result <br />of this survey was published as Senate Document No. 191. Six separate <br />damsites on the South Platte River were studied. Subsequent detailed <br />investigations resulted in the selection of the Narrows site in Morgan <br />County. <br /> <br />On July 24, 1946, the congress approved a comprehensive plan <br />for the Missouri River Basin project, which included the Narrows unit in <br />Colorado. In 1947, funds were appropriated for initiation of construction <br />of the Narrows unit. Almost immediately local opposition to the project <br />began to surface. Arguments pertaining to the service area and dam <br />safety were advanced. Opposition to the construction of the Narrows Dam <br />was voiced by the commissioners of Morgan County and by the city officials <br />and chamber of commerce of U\G county's pri~cipal city. Fort'Morgan. <br /> <br />-2- <br />