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<br />Local watershed associations with the help of the Extension Ser- <br />vice, the local ditch companies, the county agents, and the county <br />commissioners can provide a great deal of information. Their cooperation <br />should be secured. Public meetings supplemented by adequate re- <br />porting would give the task force a sound basis for its deliberations. <br />In addition, the cooperation of the press, in dissemminating the infor- <br />mation so developed is a great need. <br /> <br />Federal and state agencies have done an excellent job in gathering <br />a great deal of information. They and the many competent men and women <br />who have worked for a sound ground water program and adequate legislation <br />have not been able to educate the public at large and ground water users <br />in particular of the soundness of the work which they have done nor the <br />possible solutions which they can provide. <br /> <br />The Ground Vater Codification and Research Committee appointed <br />to study Colorado's Ground Water law recommended: <br /> <br />1. Colorado's ground water law should be amended at the coming <br />session of the General Assembly. No attempt should be made to rewrite <br />or recodify Colorado's ground water law. Suggested amendments attached <br />to this report are designed to accomplish the following: <br /> <br />a. To declare that the ground water or public waters be- <br />long to the people of the state. <br /> <br />b. To strengthen the registration provisions. <br /> <br />c. To amplify the powers of the Ground \,vater Commission. <br /> <br />d, To prevent pollution of ground water. <br /> <br />e. To provide a more realistic definition of the term <br />"tributary" . <br /> <br />2. Ground water research is a necessity. The consultants and <br />the committee agree that first priority should be given to the interrelation- <br />ship of ground water to stream flow on the entire length of the Arkansas <br />and the South Platte and their main tributaries. A recommended research <br />program was presented by Morton W. Bittinger, Colorado State University, <br />in consultation with the U. S. G. S. and the Bureau of Reclamation to the <br />committee is a part of its minutes and is supported by the committee. <br /> <br />- 8 - <br />