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<br /> <br />made to further maximize Indian participation. The tribes have indi- <br />cated they are much more interested in receiving 'wet" water from the <br />project than they would be in receiving a "handful of paper water <br />rights" with no facilities with which to put them to use. They have <br />further indicated they would be willing to enter into an agreement <br />whereby they would forego the use of their potential water tights in <br />lieu of receiving water from the project. <br /> <br />Conclusions and Recommendations <br /> <br /> <br />The Animas-La Plata project offers the best and possible the only <br />solution to the settlement of the Indian water rights problem in the <br />area. Up to the present time, no water has ever been adjudicated or <br />allocated to the Ute Mountain Ute Indian reservation. The small amount <br />of water which the tribal members use now for domestic purposes was <br />obtained by purchase from the Montezuma Valley Irrigation Company and <br />is delivered to the Indians through an open irrigation ditch. The <br />principal occupation of the tribe is the production of cattle and sheep. <br />Some of the best tribal grazing lands are situated on the high mesas <br />in the vicinity of the Mesa Verde National Park. In order to supply <br />the cattle on these lands with drinking water, a tank truck is utilized <br />on a daily basis over a long and tortuous road. Both the Southern Ute <br />tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute tribe have a substantial amount of land <br />which could produce considerable feed for their livestock if water <br />could be made available. Both reservations also contain significant <br />coal deposits. The Animas-La Plata project is designed to furnish both <br />tribes with sufficient water supplies to take care of their domestic, <br />irrigation and industrial needs. The eventual construction of the <br />project will be a test as to whether or not the federal government is <br />serious in its many pronouncements of providing better economic opportu- <br />nities for the various Indian tribes. <br /> <br />In addition to the developing Indian resources, the project will <br />make water available to the nonIndian population for substantial indus- <br />trial development, for municipal and rural domestic uses and for the <br />production of better crops. Aside from the valley floor of the San Luis <br />Valley, the southwestern portion of the state is the most arid in <br />Colorado. However, the lands there are generally of high quality and <br />will produce abundantly with irrigation. In large segments of the rural <br />areas, the residents now haul their domestic water from distant sources <br />and store it in home cisterns. The project is in an area of fairly high <br />unemployment and depressed incomes. <br /> <br />The project is faced with some difficulties. In addition to <br />constantly accelerating costs, the plan now being considered reflects <br />a much higher consumptive use of water than was contemplated by the <br />original authorization. It appears that it may be necessary to scale <br />the plan down to a more compatible consumptive use of water. <br /> <br />The President's recommended budget contains an item of $464,000 to <br />continue preparation of the definite plan report ,during F.Y. 1976 and <br />an additional $103,000 for the transition quarter. It is therefore <br />recommended that the Governor and the members of Colorado's congressional <br />delegation be requested to support the President's recommended budget <br />request for the Animas-La Plata project. <br /> <br />FLS:mm <br /> <br />-5- <br /> <br />I <br />