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<br />.I.;) ... l..&r_vI'S ItQ(KY Mounfaln Journal. Denver, Cora. . Wedri"sd',t:lV, O,,:t. -6, 1965.
<br />
<br />(oforadC;'s-Water"PoTicy Adrift
<br />As Pros Put Self-Interests Firs!'
<br />
<br />fly Doug Brndlcy
<br />"re the_ politicians and the water officials
<br />could 'rise above their - selfish and petty
<br />differences and draft the best possible
<br />water policy, what things might he accom.
<br />plished in Colorado," .
<br />The Ilpcakl:lr WM a busInessman', a suppher
<br />in the field.~ or Miler a\1d reclAmation,
<br />Uf!' ,was t)'pkal of many intC'l'"j\?wed in tlill
<br />t'ul'rent investlglllion by Cervj's JOllrtlnl 'into
<br />'the {jull/o:miro' ,Dr watt;r politics, ,on the Colol'mJo-
<br />River,
<br />'l'he businessman, nnd orticlals who con.
<br />eun-ed in his oplnioRs, condoroned:
<br />. Unnecessary projeds,_ c-ostly, to taXjH\y-
<br />ers.
<br />.. Colorado's poor use ol its available "':8'
<br />tei-resources.
<br />. C<inseqlJcn~ loss 01 and np!1thy over ~t-
<br />," eructing major indu~trial users,
<br />. Bast.West Slope parochial fl{lua-bbling
<br />over water, which drains time, talent_and money.
<br />. Upper and Lower Basin feuding _ lead.
<br />ing 10 suit~, that are costly to the loxpayer.
<br />. ll1llbillty 'Of policj'-makers, committed to
<br />erroneous POlicies, to accept the dklal~s olloglc,
<br />. nllri,lt:ue hy private power company offi-
<br />cials to mnintain the status quo, ill -OJ'der, to
<br />preserve their vested interests.
<br />Among the typically \UUleCe5sary projeels Is
<br />the lI_erculean efTol't to control evaporation in
<br />tbe' Colorado River _ Basins. 'In _ order to cut
<br />down the SUlI'S big cut olf the top, a film mnde
<br />of ratty alcohol- ~ubstances is sp!'al'cd O~el' tbe
<br />water, '
<br />It's not too effective. The wind blows it off
<br />and the slJn stilt takes its toll. Hut they're chas-
<br />' inJ( a myth. Success in c-ontrolllng this e';npOl'a_
<br />lion wouldn.t give tb~' region II drop'more wa_
<br />tet than it's getting,
<br />, In -1956, lbe BUrcau at Redamnlion started
<br />sponsoi'ing research on evaporation_ reduction-
<br />on il~ reservoirs with an initial contract going
<br />10 Colorado Statc University, There are ,bow
<br />six ('olleges siudYing {he "problC\u" aiong \\'ith
<br />
<br />tf!'l>..
<br />,~;:",
<br />
<br />{he bureau's and otbci.' govel1lmcnt IlcientL<;ts,
<br />Il(!p. ~Wayne _ N, Aspinall, D.Co-lo" chail:!llllll
<br />of, tho ~Ho\lse, IntcdOI' Committee, was grim
<br />. abou( the problem when he diScussed it. with
<br />Helene C, Monbel'g, Cerot's,' Washing,t.on con'c,
<br />sponQent, , ._.
<br />Said Aspln_aIl:, "Desplle _ the -resolH'ell that
<br />has been done to dale, Lhere is no kilOWn meth.
<br />od to kl'cp Ure sun floom drawing watcl' U]l hila
<br />the ttlmoSflhcl'c fl'om \I'ttter 11IIrlaee!i."
<br />'fllat's good. Because when Aspinall or nny
<br />l'esearchet' finds _out how to reverse n law of
<br />
<br />About Bunger
<br />., MUls ~, Dllnger, who compiled statistical
<br />data and mnps .accompanying tbe series o~ Ill"
<br />tides on' Colorado water pl'Oblems, has been
<br />lnvolv(.'l:! lil regionnl water matters since 1911,
<br />Bunger spent 15 yenl'S witb the U.S. BUl'enu Of
<br />Rec1am:tlion in ColoJ'lldo. He was assistant su-
<br />pCl'visillg engineer on the COloJ'ndo,Blg Thomp.
<br />son -Project" and he plllnned the Central ArJ:ro.
<br />na Project.' Bunger has an_'lriternational reputa-
<br />tion as an expert on wnter, matters, He is now
<br />rclll'cd, '
<br />
<br />phy!>lcs, we'd bett.er have other )'cscarehcl's
<br />\vol'king on centrols to ensure that defiance of
<br />natUl'eisll'tcal'l'iedtoolar.
<br />Not that eV<lpm'<J;tion control would be a \lse.
<br />less disCover3' for 'some areas of the world. In
<br />the -Sahara, for example, it would be lnvallmblc
<br />10 control tlle oasis loss fl'om evaporation, but
<br />CoJomdo River water "IOSSCl;" from IeVapol'a.
<br />lion are' figments of MIicial inmginntion, And
<br />thle politlcians and experls pUl'sulng slIch con.
<br />trol llrc'gJ'inding-rclent!essly tOWard-a mirage-
<br />Ilt the taxpayer:!!' cxp'cnse,
<br />If an the- time and money spent trying to
<br />solve Colorado's supposed, wnter losses fl'oni
<br />evaporation were chaTillel~ t<! ,l'eclamation
<br />projects, enough new n!sel:"oil's cOllld be con.
<br />'stl'ucted -to,_~tllke care of the enUre imaginary
<br />loss. '
<br />Wllttw- el1nndl he consumed -' cannot be lo~t
<br />Mjjrc Oll page 28
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