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<br />intereste~ on ever,y river in this Basin, and that old deorees gave them ~
<br />prior right in waters of these rivers; that the Ute Indian was just, as
<br />muoh interested in his white neighbors' suooess as the white neighbor wa.
<br />intere/!tep in the Indians'l and that they asked that studies of the pro-: '
<br />posed pro~eots be oompleted as fast as possible.
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<br />Wo. W. J, Maxwell, a ranoher of the Animas Valley, informed the l
<br />Commissio~er:that the Animas River in its present condition oonstituted .
<br />ver,y badtloOd hazard throughout the Valley, and that in the spring of tlle
<br />year very! vajl.ue.ble . and rioh lands were flOOded, and that sometimes this '
<br />land waa #<>roed ,to lie idle for the entire summer growing season, due to
<br />floods, fhat tllisflood condition also created a great pastmenaoe - an~
<br />that he was 100% for the Animas..Le.Plata.Diversion program, as it would
<br />solve the1flood'oOl1-ditions that now exist on the Animas River.
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<br />T1\1s ooncluded the presentation of oUr reolamation problems of the
<br />entire S~ Juan Basin.
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<br />Cijai~ OtRourke thenoalled upon Commissioner Bashore for a f~
<br />remark/! , ' ,
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<br />Cdmm1s/!ioner Bashore stated that he was not a public speaker, an4
<br />that he ~d Iio prepared speeohto present; that this was his first visit i
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<br />to this' s~Clt:ton of the oountr,y, but it would not be his last, and thathE!
<br />was oOl1lin€l b~ok. He assured us that this meeting had been most helpful 'lio
<br />the BUrea~oi' Reolalnation and himsel:t' in gathering first-hand ini.'ormation
<br />as to howlt;h~ people lived and what the results of these variousprojeot';
<br />, would be. 'Tl1.at the Indians were our fd-rst settlers, and that thEly must ~e
<br />proteoted ~~ helped with irrigated lands. That the water supply of the ;
<br />WEST was li\.milted and that it must be used to the best advantage for all
<br />oonoerned.: That the idea of re-payment must be retained in all projeots:
<br />if Reolam~,io:n is to suooeed and go forward., That there are now no laws,
<br />to permit~he' building of projeots with benefits exoJ,usively for reorea- ,
<br />tion and W\l.ld' life. That he has asked some ver,y pertinent and embarra,ss-:
<br />ing questipnsl, but that he had done so in order t,o get a olearer piotureof
<br />, the situat~bn. That he had never before attended a meeting where the '
<br />people we~ so wellaoquainted with their subjeot and knew what they want~
<br />ed. .
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<br />Cl~fford H. Stone, Director of the Colorado Water Conservation ,
<br />Board, Vlali10aped upon by the Chairman for adisoussion of the problems rei"
<br />lating to the Colorado River generally, and the San Juan Basin in parti- '
<br />oular, "
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<br />Ju~ge stone in his remarks stressed the fact that great advanoes
<br />had been made in reolamation in Colorado under the Colorado Water Conser-
<br />vation Boatd" and assured his listenera that the Board was vi t,ally in-
<br />terested in't~ prOblems of the Basin, and was giving and would oontinue
<br />to givsas$iatanoe to the Chairman of the meeting, the San Juali Basin
<br />'member oftheColore.do Water Conservation Board, He assured the meeting,
<br />that it wa~ the position of the Colorado Water Conservation Board that no;
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