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<br />Let'us turn now to leadership and the need for united action.
<br />
<br />This Valley is a physiographic unit in every sense. '!he available water,
<br />whether it comes from Falcon and additional ,storage above Falcon, from water sav-
<br />ings, or bY 1mPOr't frome1senhere in Texas, will be delivered to, an area that can
<br />only utilize it with the desired efficiency and profit if it operates as a unit.
<br />
<br />To date there is no one group or organization with singleness of purpose
<br />toward the end that a common solution might be reached to a comnion problem.
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<br />An authority was fashioned a decade ago to represent a large ,part of' the area.
<br />It withered,on the vine, ror reasons known to you. Perhaps"through the present,
<br />approach of a VOluntary compact, there will ,evolve the leadership required to
<br />apportion water ,",nd to deliver it with the equity desired by all. I hope this
<br />occurs.
<br />
<br />I don't tllink, ho\;ever, that your i\1il.damental problem, of watersupply--and on
<br />this your real fUture hinges--will be solved until you create a single, ~nformed,
<br />and responsible voice that can ,speak for the area:as a whole.
<br />
<br />We iearnedthe necessity rot' this in the court of 'experience. We have'
<br />developed'facilities to provide water to over six' million acres for successful
<br />irrigation. '!his was accomplished under a wide variety oi:circumstancesc. llut our
<br />first quest in such ventures has always been for responsible local leadership.
<br />Our help ,can be effective only if an area knows what' 'it wants by common agreement.
<br />
<br />'You have other problems,' of course, but they-are $ubordinate to the ftihda-
<br />mental ones ,before us. I reiterate, for it bearsrepi:lt:i.tion,that the Valley's
<br />future hinges on water supply, clarification'of w,ater rights, and leadership. lIJith l
<br />these fundementalssquared away, all else will fall into place~ as it always ha$ in3
<br />the other large western irrigated areas.
<br />
<br />Let me assure you I have no, wish to be unduly pess1mistie. No.t, one, of the
<br />problems that I have d;iscua-sed appeatsto be insurmpuntable. "Each hasbe,en '
<br />encoUntered andsucoessfuJ.ly dealt with in years past in ,every irriga,tion 'distriot
<br />in the Hest.Eaoh is a manifestation of Ugrowingpainsuinexpanding :a,reas ,of
<br />production. ' '
<br />
<br />I have been a,skedalsQ"to discuss with you the; possibilities ofwherEj, when,
<br />and how the Bureau of Reclamation might help you s<>lve' your problem's,shoUld j'Du
<br />feel our skills could be justifiably applied to your advantage. '!he answer to.
<br />these questions lies t . "
<br />
<br />First, in' opera.ticns of the Bureau of Reclaciation as diotated by .
<br />national policies prescribed by the Adminbtration'and 'the ,Congress; and'
<br />
<br />SecondJin the degree ofresponsibilitythat'you yourselves are
<br />willing to assume ona'partnership basis. '
<br />
<br />Let me quote some pertinent naticnal policy, "relating to resources deV'elopnent,
<br />as stated by ,President Eisenhower in his recent bUdget message: '
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