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" GaG!) ih.fact, RLG thought that the very purpose of appropriating the $200,000 for the study was to try to find viable alter- natives in view of the sad record of Narrows as a solution to South Platte River problems. Only a full fledged hearing, with an opportunity for the Subcommittee to examine qualified witnesses, would be adequate for a true understanding of this subject. It is assumed that if serious consideration is once more to be given to funding for the Narrows before the study is com- pleted, RLG will be given an opportunity to be heard through ....itnesses. TRENEED FOR WATER The South Platte River originates in the central moun- tains of Colorado and after emerging into the plains of Eastern ColoradO at the mouth of Platte Canyon, which is a short distance South of Denver, flows in a northerly direction by a little east to Kersey whence it runs easterly by a little north to Nebraska near Julesburg. The northerly half of the Great Plains in Eastern Colorado drains northerly to the Platte except for the easterly fifty miles which is outside the Platte River drainage basin and secures no mountain water supply. We will not consider this easterly drainage area because the land which is more accessible for irrigation out of tbe Platte River drainage is itself SUfficiently deficient in water supply to require all the platte River water which can be made available to it. "The details of place of need and potential means of meeting the needs for Platte River water are expected to be made the basis of the $200,000 reconnaissance study currently being made by the Colorado Water Conservation Board called ""South Platte River Basin Assessment," here- inafter referred to as "Basin Assessment." The $200,000 appropriated by the federal government is considered only enough for a reconnaissance study although the engineering firm which has been employed to perform the study includes personnel generally familiar with the Platte River, is the same firm which has heretofore made studies of geologic problems connected with Narrows and has available to it previous studies made by the state and federal governments or for them. The "Plan of Study' released in March of 1981 by the Colorado Water Conservation Board on how it will use the federal grant tor study of the South Platte River Basin, at page 9, says that the study is not to include "the dam safety aspects of the Narrows Dam" ,,*.n This r.C!cessarily -2- ,_~_._v.~ ...:o::."f~_ ,..,r .. ~ , ~.._ ". T"~.,,_, .."'1 .." -