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<br />-25- <br /> <br />the root system of the natural vegetation has probably ex- <br /> <br />tended downward to secure its water requirement, and upward <br /> <br />leakage from the artesian aquifers is adequate to account <br /> <br />for a period of equilibrium in non-beneficial consumptive <br /> <br />water use. In order to make the project reasonably ef- <br /> <br />fective, it is our opinion that the surface phreatophytic <br />vegetation would have to be eradicated. The mere lowering <br />of the water table would only encourage the root growth to <br />go deeper. However, if the natural phreatophytic vegeta- <br /> <br />tion is eradicated its soil stabilizing influences would be <br /> <br />removed, which could result in sand and soil movement <br /> <br />similar to that in the area of the sand dunes. A study to <br /> <br />determine how to remove the vegetation without loss of soil <br /> <br />stabilization is in order. <br /> <br />COSTS <br /> <br />It is proposed that all costs of the Closed Basin Pro- <br /> <br />ject, with the exception of overhead, maintenance, repair, <br /> <br />acquisition of rights-of-way, and recreational facilities, <br /> <br />be borne by the Federal Government. The allocation of costs <br /> <br />to the Federal Government seems proper because of her para- <br /> <br />mount interest in the Mexican Treaty Compact deliveries as <br /> <br />a National burden and because there are currently no iden- <br /> <br />tifiable beneficiaries. <br /> <br />Should the Federal Government not agree to the above <br /> <br />principle of assuming the entire payment, the burden of re- <br />payment would have to be divided among several beneficiaries, <br /> <br />{', ~, A <br />!JU~ <br /> <br />9 <br />