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roo, ~ _.:.lIIC.- '-'" . . . would severely restrict the right of the City of Durango to divert any direc9low rights out of the Animas River. Such an occu, e ce \~ould even at today' s level of usage and populatio be devasting on the citizens of Durango. It would amount to curtailment of all irrigation uses of water in the city. 5. ARE NEARBY UNDERGROUND AQUIFER A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF WATER FOR DURANGO? Nobody knows. To find the answer would require considerable delays and costs which the City Water Commission does not feel would be justified at this stage. At the threshold it would seem to be unwise to depend on uncertain underground water supplies for a municipal source if you do not need to. It does not appear that this alternative would solve any of the present or future problems of the City of Durango, inas- much as the water right which would be acquired to the under- ground water would be even more junior than the present direct flow rights held by the City of Durango and subject to call and, in addition, there would certainly be a substantial cost involved in pumping water - probably 800 to 1200 feet - to the surface for use. Animas-La Plata Project is entitled to preference power rates for pumping under Colorado River Storage Project Act, These same power rates may not be available to the City of Durango for a private water develop- ment. 6. IF UTE WATER CLAIMS ARE SUCCESSFUL, HOW WILL IT AFFECT DURANGO'S WATER SUPPLY AND STORAGE NEEDS? If the Southern Ute Indian and the Ute Mountain Ute Indian tribes are successful in obtaining decrees on the Animas and La Plata rivers, decrees which are comparable, or the same as, the decrees held by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe on the Pine River, a number one priority water right to 213 cubic second feet of water, with a priority date of 1868, the Indian water rights will be senior to all water uses on both rivers and all junior decree holders will be reduced in priority accordingly. Durango's direct flow rights would then be junior to senior Colorado rights on the Animas River and senior New Mexico rights on the Animas River, as well as the Indian senior rights. Such a result would increase greatly Durango's need for storage in order to adequately protect a water supply for Durango citizens. It should be noted that both Indian tribes have long sup- ported the Animas-La Plata Project and that there is a sufficient amount of water allocated to the Indian tribes as per the request of the respective Tribal Councils to meet their anticipated needs. If the Indian water rights are -3.