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29:2'7 xv in point of diversion proceedings in court. In the event water rights are acquired, these rights have the status of Government property and if they cannot be utilized by the Government they will be offered for sale to the highest bidder through nor- mal procedures established for disposal of Government pro:r:erty. In the event they cannot be used by ~~e Government, or until such time as they can be sold, the water represented by these rights would accrue to the stream and be available to holders of subsequent priorities. Some of the land to be acquired is currently irrigated from the Bijou, Fort Morgan, and j(iverside Canals; however, the \later riGhts on this land are considered marketable by the present owners since the water can be applied to other lands with- out a change in point of divarsion. The equaliz6r channel from Bijou Creek to Nar::-ow~ l(eservoir will utilize Bijou Reservoir #2, owned by the Bijou Irrigation District., as a part of trie channel. It is possible that Bijou District llould desire to transfer their storage rights in rteservoir t2 to the ~arra;'s Reservoir. It is anticipated that a straight exchange of capacity may be made to com~ensate the Bijou District for abandonment of Keser- voir #2. The Bijou District now uses Heservoir #2 for exchange purposes as releases from the reservoir are made at too low an elevation to serve their lands directly. Narrows Reservoir would serve.' this exchange purpose equally well. Project .Jater nights A filing has not yet been made vnth the State of Colorado for a storage right in l'larrows Reservoir and for direct-flow rights for new lands to De developed. Upon completion of the construction and application of the "ater to beneficial use, a decree ,vill be sought. \Jater storable in Narrows Reservoir will be only that which TIo\~d be available under the decreed priority. In project operation st~dies, water "as not considered storable in the Narrows Unit until all decreed direct-flow rights were satisfied. Decreed storage rights were fulfilled by filling prEse~t ~pstream reservoirs and keeping them full until it was necessary to make t.'le :'~rst 'nthd.ravials of stored Vlater to meet irrigation demands. This method not only r.;alees :naximum use of avail- able storage but also completely respects existing decreed, storage rights. ~iultiple Fillings of Existing Reservoirs.--llany of the existing reservoirs in the project area have obtained "ater in excess of one fi~ling a season through stor- age of flood waters. There has been some objection to construction of the Narrows Reservoir and the acquisition of a water right, in that the iiarrows Heservoir nor- mally would not fill in one season, so any floVls in excess of current needs would accrue to Narrows rauler than to multiple fillings of existing reservoirs. Thus, it v~s felt that present water users woJId be dep::-ived of some water which they are now able to use. It is anticipated that a filling Vlill be made for Narrows Reser- voir and a decree sought under appropriate proceedings, and further that Narrows Reservoir will be operated as any other reservoir under the doctrine of appropria- tion as practiced in Colorado. Present reservoir owners are seeking a decree sanc- tioning multiple fillings, and if such a decree is granted by the courts, it is probable that the priority given 'fill antedate one which might be acquired for the Narrows. Such decrees must, of course, be recognized and appropriate action must be taken by orricials responsible for water administration in the Stat~.