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<br />single out anyone individual well to be shut down. It is true that this Board has long
<br />studied in it's River Administration program the relationships of surface and under-
<br />ground waters of the Arkansas River in Colorado. Large sums of public monies were
<br />spent in research and analysis on this subject, in order that the facts would be avail-
<br />able to all. The early results clearly indicate that in certain areas and rea.ches of the
<br />River unregulated pumping will deplete surface flows, even after the imported and new
<br />Fryingpan water is introduced into the system.
<br />
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<br />
<br />Rather than discredit the Board and censure it's individual members for the legislative
<br />activities and expenses - men who acted only to develop and protect the. surface water
<br />assets of the entire Valley - perhaps they might better spend their monies, energies
<br />and time, initiating and exploring the reported 1,000,000 acre feet of useable under-
<br />ground waters lying East of Pueblo to the Kansas line. This vast amount of water was
<br />researched out by monies of the USGS and this District spent in surveys, computations
<br />and analog analysis. We further suggest that they joi.n all the. water interests of the
<br />Valley in formulating a plan to put all this water to work in a beneficial way, without
<br />injury to surface water rights or themselves. They could make no greater contri":"
<br />bution because of their experience in thier field of water use. This and other similar
<br />prOblems must someday be solved before we can obtain maximum beneficial use of all
<br />available water supplies, surface and underground. This, or any, Board would wel-
<br />come their constructive and valued assistance in starting such studies. The difficult
<br />and time and money consuming water business will only become more critical,
<br />aggravated and expensive as shorter supplies of water are stretched to the expanding
<br />population of the Valley.
<br />
<br />This Board and all water groups have definite assignments in attempting to satisfy the
<br />seemingly insatiable thirst of the people for whom we work right now and in the years
<br />just ahead. Food production water requirements, industrial expansion, and recreat-
<br />ional water, added to domestic needs, will urgently demand years of service of water-
<br />wise and experienced men from any and all organizations. In the meantime, the
<br />people cannot lose water gains contained in the Fryingpan supply. It is now contracted
<br />for, and must be paid out in the allotted time. It is not a gift from the Federal Govern-
<br />ment. It will be the duty of this Board to sell, deliver. collect, to account for and
<br />repay the costs of this water. It is paramount that it be safeguarded for this gener-
<br />ation, the next and on into the future. Anything less than eternal vigilance to these
<br />long sought, hard bought, precious waters would be gross neglect- - and sufficient
<br />reason for an entire Boards. censure, now or in the future. If the fruits of the
<br />Fryingpan are placed in jeopardy by proceedings that lead to attempted legislative
<br />changes of water legislation now on the statue books, the only recourse by this or
<br />future Boards would be to bring before the Courts all those in violation of Constitu-
<br />tionallaws of this State concerning the use of Colorado.s water. Such a procedure
<br />would involve tremendous litigation time. We would deplore such a situation. Water
<br />wars ha.ve never developed a single drop of new water. Water complexities and
<br />differences require factual understanding of all related problems. Water education
<br />is both tedious and expensive. Those in the water business never win elections of
<br />honor or popularity contests. To serve in any water organization is a high risk job
<br />apparantly to character and integrity.
<br />
<br />Resolution of water prOblems come only when men of reason sit down and counsel
<br />with each other. using honest thinking based on facts. Those who will not subscribe
<br />to such methods might well remember that the Fryingpan Project, it's advocates and
<br />sponsors, have withstood years of critical abuse and vicious opposition by experts
<br />and specialists in diaapprqbation and disparagement. The Project survived, and so
<br />has the District and the Board with it. Also, so has the drinking water for towns and
<br />cities now on the way survived. The eating water for crops and livestock on farms
<br />and ranches alongside the river is ordered. The Fryingpan has in it also miilions
<br />of man days of recreation, safety from flood5, creation of wealth and energy, ai.~d
<br />all those things that make a solid base for a sound prosperous growth potential.
<br />Dollars will officially pay for this great works, but to reiterate again, much has
<br />already been paid, and the tabs and bills for sacr~fices, work, donations of time,
<br />
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