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requirements as a preliminary to undertaking such further investiga- tions as may be indicated as the water supply picture clarifies. , We have initiated an investigation of the possibilities of salvag- ing water along the Lower Colorado River by the elimination of stream bank vegetation between Davis Dam and the International Boundary and by channel improvement. It is estimated that in the order of 400,000 acre-feet or more of water is presently consumed annually by phreato- phytes along the bottom lands in this reach of the river. We hope that feasible plans can be developed for the salvage of this water for bene- ficial uses to meet increasing requirements for irrigation, municipal, and industrial purposes. In addition we are conducting reconnaissance investigations of possibilities of future development of potential projects in the Colorado River Basin in Nevada. A final decision in the Supreme Court suit of Arizona vs, California would undoubtedly result in the Bureau of Reclamation's program of investigations in the Lower Colorado River Basin being accelerated. If the decision in the Supreme Court s1li:it is favorable to Arizona, it will be highly desirable to restudy the"Central Arizona Project in light of the many changes that have taken place since the pro- ject was originally investigated 12 to 15 years ago as a part of the pro- cess of evaluating possible Arizona development in the light of then pre- vailing conditions, It also may be necessary in the near future to resume to comple- tion investigations on the Bridge Canyon Project upstream from Lake Mead on the Colorado River and perhaps the Marble Canyon Project down- stream from the Glen Canyon Dam. In view of the recent surge of interest in obtaining an adequate water supply for the Las Vegas -Eldorado Valley area in Clark County, Nevada, an investigation of the proposal will be scheduled as soon as possible. In addition, we anticipate continued inves- tigation of the water salvage possibilities along the lower Colorado River between Davis Dam and the International Boundary and continuation of reconnaissance investigations in Nevada. The objective of the Bureau of Reclamation is to achieve through cooperation and coordination with Federal, State, county, and local agencies the maximum development and utilization of the resources of the Colorado River. To realize this, there are many problems which must be resolved including conflicts between water uses and water users, methods of financ- ing worthy and much-needed projects which are beyond the ability of the local water users to finance from their own resources, and disputes of water rights, Also there is the problem of the boundary between the States of Arizona and California which we hope will be resolved in the very near future. - 25 -