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<br />illliCllI1ENJ B_ <br /> <br />8. JUSTIFICATION AND EXPLANATION FOR CONTINUING DESIGNATION OF <br />THE DOLORES PROJECT AS A PROJECT OF NATIONAL URGENCY <br /> <br />THE DOLORES PROJECT TOGETHER ~IITH THE ADJACENT ft.NIMAS-LA- <br />PLATA PROJECT WOULD SOLVE SER IOUS SOC IAL AND ECONO~lIC PROBLEMS OF <br />f(EGlOilAL SIGNIFICA1ICE RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF INDIAN WATER <br />HIGHTS AND COULD ESTABLISH A PRECEDENCE THAT WOULD BE INSTRUMENTAL <br />IN SOLVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS NATIONALLY. <br /> <br />THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS FILED CIVIL ACTION No. C-4497 IN <br />THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLORADO IN <br />WHICH THE UNITED STATES SEEKS TO HAVE THE WATER RIGHTS OF THE UTE <br />MOUNTAIN UTE AND SOUTHERN UTE INDIAN TRIBES ESTABLISHED IN THE SAN <br />JUAN RIVER BASIN IN SOUTHI~ESTERN COLORADO. ALTHOUGH THESE CLAIMS <br />HAVE NOT AS YET BEEN DEFINED IN AMOUNT, PRELIMINARY INVENTORIES IND- <br />ICATE THAT THE TRIBES OWN IN EXCESS OF 50,000 ACRES OF ARABLE LAND <br />AND Vi\ST QUANTITIES OF COAL. HATER WILL BE NEEDED TO DEVELOP THESE <br />RESOURCES. <br /> <br />BECAUSE OF THE LEGAL PRECEDENTS ESTABLISHED BY THE UNITED <br />STA TES SUPREME COURT IN HI NTERS vs....J.!.tLm'IL_S.I8I.ES_, 207 U. S. 5G11, <br />(908) AND L\R I ZO~IA VS-a-C~l I FORill.AJ 343 U. S, 5l!G 0%3), IT I S EXPE- <br />CTED THAT THE WATER RIGHTS CLAmED BY THE I1mIAN TRIBES WiLL r~ECI=T/E <br />A PRIORITY DATE AS OF 1858 WHEN THEIR RESERVATIONS WERE ESTABLISHED. <br />THIS DATE WOULD PROCEED AND BE SENIOR TO ANY OF THE WATER RIGHTS NOW <br />USING COLORADO RIVER WATER IN COLORADO. <br /> <br />THE TOI'/N OF MANCOS, POPULATI01,) J.200,. A~!D THE SU[lROUND!iF': <br />M!\NCOS RECLM1ATION PROJECT ilflTH Jl.jIJ IRHIGi\TED !IGRICULTURAL AF(,~/\ 0;-- <br />ABOUT 10,ono ACRES WILL BE AFFECTED MOST SERtbuSLY BY THESE FENDING <br />\'!fITE:R RIGHTS. THE UTE MOUNTAIN UTE .~H~lAN T#lEE H/\S I'OTENTUdL'/ <br />li,F: I GATABLE LANDS LOCATED DO\llNSTREM1 FRO/ii ['.:;\;;(:05 TII,:: AF,[ Sl:\fI:ii..\L_ <br />-'.','r<." L'RGER IN AREA THAN TI'O"E OF -111'" 1\ Dr-{' ~r:niG"."""I; ',-\' "'1'1'" r'~'":''''r~''' <br />1111;::,' " : -i <> I'll: "..'.i:\ 1,;,', ';;\11:.; "'I "",11,'.,"_.,,,,, <br />r~OJECT, IF THE TRIBE RECEIVES A No.1 PRIORITY WATER RIGK~ FO~ <br />':1:::[[\ LANDS AND BUILDS FACILITIES TO PUT THE RIGHT TO EH!EFICli'._ USE <br />, <br />"~-,\"i',C \';'iLi... hE ESSENTIALLY I":() V./i-,l~j\ L-t:i':::hf j'(;.'\ ".ll~ CC;'-"l',;.:,<i-['! C,;.: <br /> <br />-12- <br />