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i~j '1)' ~ -:tv\ STATE OF COLORADO Colorado Water Conservation Board Department of Natural Resources 721 State Centennial Building 1313 Sherman Street Denver, Colorado 80203 Phone (303) 866-3441 FAX (303) 866-4474 o Roy Romer Governor March 31, 199~ James S. Lochhead Executive Director, DNk Darie.'l C. tile, P.E. Director, CWCB ~. Jon Freeman U,S, Bureau of Reclamation Durango Projects Office PO Box 640 Durango, Colorado 81302-0640 Dear ~, Freeman Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on the draft Environmental Assessment of the, "Proposal to Modify the Operation of McPhee Reservoir and Acquire Additional Water for Release Downstream to the Dolores River for Fish and Wildlife Purposes, Dolores Project, Colorado." We generally support the proposed action, Alternative 1, as outlined in the EA. However, we are concerned about were and how Reclamation proposes to acquire the extra 7,200 acre feet of water. Since the EA does not identify how the 7,200 acre feet will be acquired specifically and there are a number of alternatives, we have elected to convey to you our general position on matters of this nature, The mission of the CWCB is to promote the protection, conservation, and development of Colorado's water resources in order to secure the greatest utilization of those resources for the benefit of present and future generations, and to minimize the risk of flood damage and related economic losses, Our agency is also tasked with correlating the needs of mankind with some reasonable preservation of the natural environment. In this later respect, the CWCB has obtained an instream flow appropriation for 78 cfs on the Dolores River extending from McPhee Dam to the confluence with the San Miguel River. The proposed action would help assure that instream flow is maintained. However, the CWCB also has responsibility for aiding in the development of the states water resources, In this respect we would like to see the waters of the Dolores Project used for there authorized purposes, In acquiring the 7,200 acre feet, we will not generally support actions which decrease Colorado's use of its Compact apportioned waters, We are aware that Reclamation has several options for acquiring all or a portion of the first 3,900 acre feet that would allow the Dolores Project to continue to serve project beneficiaries as well as satisfy authorized project purposes, These options have not been fully considered to date, but, need to be prior to taking any actions, We strongly urge Reclamation to meet with the Dolores Water Conservancy District, the state and effected water users to fully explore these options and look for solutions which are to everyones benefit. Our agency remains willing to work with Reclamation and others to find mutually acceptable means for acquiring 7,200 acre feet of water,