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<br />. , <br /> <br />Anyone who has studied the records in developing the 1944 Flood Control <br />Act recognizes the extreme conDiets between upstream and downstream states. In <br />addition. there existed an extreme conDict between states' interests and federal <br />interests as was defined at that time. As a result of these eonDicts. the Congress <br />drafted special sections into the 1944 Flood Control Act that provided protection for <br />the use of water for future beneficial consumptive use to those states lying wholly <br />or partly west of the 98th meridian, This would include South Dakota. The western <br />governors and legislative leaders at that time were quite insistent upon retaining the <br />right to use and control water in accordance with state interests and rights. These <br />early leaders were farsighted enough to recognize that the future of many of the <br />states of the Missouri River basin would dep~nd upon the beneficial use of water, <br />That same dependence exists today. and even more so. <br />In 1944 the major consumptive use was anticipated to be irrigation, As the <br />main stem reservoirs were constructed through the 50's and early 60's. agriculture <br />production increased at such a rate that crop surpluses became the norm. As a re- <br />sult, irrigation as was promised to the upstream states in the 1944 Flood Control <br />Act was not pursued as vigorously as anticipated. It is my opinion that now and <br />in the next few years the agriculture crunch will hit this nation as it has hit other <br />parts of the world. Increasing agricultural production. in my state as throughout <br />much of the upper Missouri River Basin. will occur in large part through increased <br />irrigation. At the same time the need for increaSEd energy production has hit the <br />nation. The Northern Great Plains area has a tremendous quantity of coal resources. <br />In order to develop these energy resources. water will be necessary. <br />It is my belief that the region itself. speaking through its local elected officials <br />must determine how the eonDict between water for energy and water for agriculture <br />will be resolved. <br />As industry moves into the area. demands for the necessary water supplies <br />have been created, This is evidenced in the requests and applications that have <br />come before state and federal officials for the use of Missouri River water, The <br />federal agencies. primarily the Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation, <br />were uncertain as to how to handle these major industrial water requests, Thus. <br />a year and a half ago. the Department of Army and Department of Interior officials <br />in Washington requested that an "Ad Hoc Committee on Water Marketing" be estab- <br />lished in the region to explore these issues. A special Ad Hoc Committee composed <br />of the Chairman of the Basin Commission, the Army Corps of Engineers representa- <br />tive, the Department of Interior representative, and the Vice-Chairman of the Basin <br />Commission was established, Unfortunately. the questions addressed to the Ad Hoc <br />Committee were insufficient in meeting the total issue. The Ad Hoc Committee tried <br />to develop adequate answers and make recommendations on issues involving munic- <br />ipal and industrial water marketing from the six main stem federal reservoirs on <br />the Missouri River. <br />In developing these recommendations, the wishes of the states were not. in <br />my opinion. adequately considered. Therefore. I wish to bring to the attention of <br />. this committee a list of six points prepared by representatives of each of the ten <br />basin states on June 5. 1974. which were submitted to the Ad Hoc Committee. (See <br /> <br />-2- <br />