Laserfiche WebLink
<br />OCJ727 <br /> <br />January 1990 <br /> <br />PIEDRA <br /> <br />ACREAGE: 41,500 in this wilderness study Area <br /> <br />DESIGNATION RECOMMENDATIONS: <br />FOREST SERVICE ARMSTRONG <br />41,500 41,500 <br /> <br />WIRTH <br />60,000 * <br /> <br />* left in further study status <br /> <br />FOREST: San Juan <br /> <br />COUNTY: Archuleta/Hinsdale <br />ARCHULETA <br />Land Area <br />sq. miles <br />1,353 <br />HINSDALE <br />Land Area <br />sq. miles <br />1,115 <br /> <br />Public Land <br />% of total <br />51 <br /> <br />Forest Service <br />land % <br />49 <br /> <br />Public Land <br />% of total <br />95 <br /> <br />Forest service <br />land % <br />78 <br /> <br />LOCATION: In the southwestern corner of the state between the <br />towns of Durango and pagosa Springs. <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION: The entire study area should be designated as <br />wilderness. This area is suitable for such a designation, and <br />will add a significant resource to the wilderness Preservation <br />System. However, it is a downstream area, with significant <br />portions of the upper reaches of the Piedra River arising above <br />the study area. Piedra offers an opportunity to demonstrate how <br />downstream wilderness can be created without injuring existing <br />water rights and throwing the state water administration system <br />into chaos. The water language in the legislation is designed <br />specifically to protect Colorado's water in future designation of <br />downstream areas. <br />It is therefore imperative to protect the integrity of <br />Colorado's water law system specifically and clearly by requiring <br />the federal government to apply under state water law for <br />reasonable, quantifiable instream flow rights for wilderness <br />areas. No express or implied federal wilderness reservations of <br />water or water rights is allowed or necessary. <br />The avenue for obtaining water for this wilderness is <br />available through Colorado law which provides for a state instream <br />flow program, administered by the Colorado Water Conservation <br />Board. <br />Designation of piedra should not be delayed. Piedra has been <br />thoroughly studied for years, and specific water language now has <br />been carefully developed to enable downstream areas to be <br />designated. A million acres of lower elevation BLM lands are now <br />being studied for their wilderness suitability. Colorado needs <br />the experience of designating an area like piedra to be certain we <br />know precisely how to protect the thousands of water rights <br />involved in the downstream BLM wilderness designations to come. <br /> <br />GENERAL FEATURES: This area contains primarily unroaded, forested <br />