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<br />~.' <br /> <br />Current ~tatus <br /> <br />l.dvance plannint, studies were initiated in LY. E7l with funds <br />contributed by the state of :olorado and local water user or[ani~ations. <br />f'ederal funds in the amount of $225,00L were appropriated in F.Y. 1571 <br />and placed in bud.;etary reserve. ri,ese funds were released for use in <br />F.Y. lS72. <br /> <br />Feasioility and advance plannin~ costs throuoh Eeptewber 3C, 1577 <br />amount to $3,448,500. <br /> <br />The selection of the froject plan has been completed and is ~ein& <br />prepared for review by the local advisory te~n, federal and state <br />aLencies and other interested &roups. Environmental information is <br />continuing to ~e collected. The definite plan report and the draft <br />environmental impact statement are to~e completed by Ausust, lS78. <br />The final environmental impact statement is scheduled for completion <br />by l'18Y, 15 7S. <br /> <br />The La Flata and fouthwestern districts have joined in a campaign <br />to organize a new conservancy district coverinG all of La Plata County, <br />Colorado. The present La Plata Water Conservancy District will be <br />dissolved if the new district is or6anized. <br /> <br />Indian and Federal Pater RiF,ht Proolems <br /> <br />In November of 1572, the Justice Department, on behalf of the <br />United States government and the Ute l,.ountain Ute and ~outhern Ute <br />Indian tribes of southwestern Colorado filed a civil action in the <br />United States District Court for the Distri~t of Colorado (Civil Action <br />No. C-4457), in Which suit the United Etates seeks to have its water <br />rizhts and the water rithts of the Indian trioes estaolished in the <br />fan Juan River basin in southwestern Colorado. Althou~h these claims <br />have not as yet De en defined in amount, they are known to represent <br />large quantities of water. Jecause of the le[al precedents estaolished <br />by the United Ftates Fupreme Court in Hinters vs. United States, 2(, 7 <br />U. f. 504, (15(,8) and Arbona vs. California, 343 U. f. 546 (1%3), it <br />is expected that the water ri~hts claimed by the Indian tribes will <br />receive priority dates as of the estaolish,nent of the various reserva- <br />tions, which priority dates will De senior in ri~ht to all of the <br />water riehts now in use in t~le San J\:can basin. <br /> <br />It arpears that the town of Mancos and the surroundinz Mancos <br />reclamation project wita an a~ricultural area of about 1~,50L acres <br />will be affected most seriously oy these pendin~ water claims. The <br />Ute Mountain Ute Indian tribe has potentially irri~aJle lands located <br /> <br />-4- <br />