HomeMy WebLinkAbout1985-035-03/21/1985-REGARDING THE OPERATING RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED UPON HORSETOOTH RESERVOIR RESOLUTION 85-35
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
REGARDING OPERATING RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED
UPON HORSETOOTH RESERVOIR
WHEREAS, in response to concerns about settlement of certain of the
five impoundment dams at Horsetooth Reservoir and concerns about the
maximum safe water impoundment in the Reservoir, the United States Bureau
of Reclamation has placed "operating restrictions" upon the Reservoir,
reducing the volume of water stored therein by approximately 10,000
acre feet; and
WHEREAS , the City of Fort Collins is the owner of approximately
10,000 units of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project; and
WHEREAS, the City Council is cognizant of the location of Horsetooth
Reservoir above the City of Fort Collins and the flood danger posed to the
City in the event of a natural disaster; and
WHEREAS, the City Council is further cognizant of the need of the
agricultural and municipal communities for the waters of the Colorado Big
Thompson Project and of the loss to the general economy in the event that
those waters are denied to the community through the imposition of oper-
ating restrictions on the Reservoir; and
WHEREAS, the Congress of the United States has appropriated $1 ,760,000
to be spent by the Bureau of Reclamation for repairs to the Horsetooth
Reservoir dams; and
WHEREAS, the Bureau of Reclamation now refuses to make such repairs
and, instead, has imposed an operating restriction that is greatly in-
jurious to the local and general economy; and
WHEREAS, in consideration of such devastating loss, and in consid-
eration of the importance of dam safety and flood protection, the City
Council finds that storage should be recovered which has been lost because
of the usage of the conservative hypothetical "probable maximum flood" for
the Horsetooth Reservoir area.
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved by Council of the City of Fort Collins
that the United States is hereby urged and implored to recover, by making
repairs to the dams , construction of a spillway, or other acceptable
means, the storage which is lost as a result of the usage of the hypothe-
tical "probable maximum flood" for Horsetooth Reservoir; utilizing funds
from any federal sources including those monies appropriated by the Energy
and Water appropriation bill US P.L. 98-360; and further, that the oper-
ating restrictions presently imposed upon the Reservoir be lifted.
Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of
Fort Collins held this 21st day of March, A.D//. 1985.
mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
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