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<br />oo~Q <br /> <br />means that the focus of the study will be on whether Narrows <br />is needed at all because the study is to develop where the <br />water is needed and then suggest how to get the water to <br />the place of need. <br /> <br />RLG submits that no 1981 funding for Narrows is appro- <br />priate until the present day place of need is defined. <br />The members of RLG, who are acquainted by personal contact <br />with the South Platte River system believe that the study <br />will necessarily show that Narrows is not located in a <br />position to serve the needs of the water users. <br /> <br />Obviously, this statement by RLG cannot be detailed, <br />but we believe it should have credibility because the members <br />of RLG.are long time residents of the Platte River Valley <br />whose livelihoods are dependent on its flows, necessitating <br />an every day, year after year practical knowledge of the <br />operation of the Rive~. The approach will be that of water <br />users rather than recreationists. <br /> <br />A rough segmentation of the River can be made from <br />Platte Canyon, above Denver, to the Burlington Ditch head- <br />gate, which is just below Denver, a distance of thirty <br />miles, from the Burlington headgate to Kersey, approximately <br />fifty miles, Kersey to Balzac, another sixty miles, and <br />to the state line at Julesburg, another seventy-five miles. <br />These distances are rough approximations neither straight <br />line nor by river meander. <br /> <br />Returning to the course of the South Platte River from <br />Platte Canyon, were it emerges from the mountains to Julesburg <br />where it leaves the state, we now furnish a bare outline <br />of river conditions. This bare outline is purely a stopgap <br />until Congress can have the benefit of the Basin Assessment <br />which, it is hoped will be a thorough reconnaissance of <br />water need, the place of need and the availability of water <br />at the place of need in the South Platte Basin. <br /> <br />Except for the High Line Canal, near the mouth of <br />Platte canyon, the water supply for Denver and for the <br />ditches in the short stretch between Platte Canyon and the <br />Burlington is currently adequate. The only potential stabi- <br />lization of the Platte River supply for this area is Denver's <br />Two Forks Reservoir on the platte River above platte Canyon. <br />The High Line is a hundred miles above Narrows, too far <br />upstream for its perennial shortages to be ameliorated by <br />Narrows. <br /> <br />-3- <br />