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<br />PliELhlINJlRY REPORT
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<br />SUB-CO,,;rnITTEE ON WATER POLICY, CONSERVATION, Aim DEVELOP"JEi~T '
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<br />This sub-oommittee was authorized and established by the State Agricultural '
<br />Plann~ing Committee at its 194Y annual meeting, upon reco~aendations by Charles R.
<br />Neill, ,;)am Little, Vance ueakia, and I\.,\i. Chalmers of the Conservation Committee,
<br />An organization committee was appointed ,on the basis of representation from each
<br />of the 8 m~jor,water sheds in the State. This Committee then.expanded,the permanent
<br />sub-committee to include a,representative fro~ each county interes~d in irrigation,
<br />water cdevelop,nent or use"
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<br />Selection of County Representatives were ;made by the County Agricultural Com- "
<br />mittees;
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<br />AS this,repo~t is prepar~d, ,there are '30 .counties represented on the committee
<br />which'has a ,total member~hip of 32 including the Chairman and; one county,alternate. "
<br />There are other counties in the state that should be 'represented;
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<br />,The organization or preliminary committee made a'progress report to 'the farent ,
<br />Committee at ,its annual meeting last ~aroh 9 and 10. This report consisted, 01 a
<br />polioy statement, which ',has, served.as ,a' buide 'for' the' ,work of ,the' water sub...;'
<br />committe,e; this, ;1'6ar,.,', The time th~t has . intervened sirice last /Jiarch has ,not proven'.' ,
<br />suffioient in which to ,consi0.er more than a. part of .the work outlined in the, I'olicy "
<br />Statement" " " ,.' ,J ,,' " _ ;;)
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<br />The water sub-committee is cognizant of the fact that ,the Upper Colorado River
<br />Basi,n Compact, 1'{00s ',approved""pril 6,,1949 ,and .tll,at .the ,way', is': cleared, for develop"
<br />ment of t,lle. Colorado Hi:verJ BO\sin in, Colorado., ~'. The, commi,ttee' is also ,<mare "that,.
<br />time ,o~ 8ventuaHy,run.out for the Upper; Basin' if the allocated waters ,are not' ,.,~
<br />put to beneficial' use. .. 1'herefo:re',' plannin6' and development. must get lunder, way,,'8{ld ,t
<br />be continued as steadily as possible to prevent eventual encroachment bY,down
<br />stre,am:states., These' facts should. be kept before the, people of Colorado constantly"
<br />but. quietly. " ,.; , , '0 I
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<br />Judge Clifford..H. ,stone, 0i1'e'ctor' of the, Colorado..\vater 'Conservation Board; .I, t"
<br />various members of that Board, Dr, William G"McG1nnies~ ,Director ,of the rlocky "
<br />i>lountain Forest, and Range Experiment Station, John G.. 'viiH, Secretary of the Upper
<br />Colorado liiver Basin Commission, and, otht,rs, were very-helpful'"in giving'members of
<br />this committee fundamental background material and information.
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<br />SOIne remarks by Judge Stone before the committee 'seem, so' pertinent that th.:.y
<br />should be repeated here. "There has been entirely too much guess work, in',watcr'
<br />matters in the' past. ,Such guess worK must be entirely eliminated, in the future for
<br />the good of this state; II.
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<br />"Our total remaining' unappropriated water. supply' of something oVer' tWo"..million
<br />acre fuet is in the Colorado River Basin. A complete, concise, readable report: on
<br />the Colorado River has never been made for Colorado. The lvater Conservation Board
<br />hopes to have one, ready':in the near future." ,',
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<br />"An individual who files on a water' right must use reasonable dispatch and
<br />diligence in putting such water, to beneficial use. that principle applies between
<br />states as well as between, individuals in Colorado. We must put our 'water to work
<br />but we will never succeed in doing it if we indulge in inter-sectional controversy
<br />and dissention; lie must be big enough to prevent the development of dissention." ,
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