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\''It\~ ~ such water exceeds 350 parts per million. _The_project is designed to do and will meet these water quality standards. Current status Write-in funds for advanced planning in fiscal year 1976 were included in the appropriation bill signed by the President on December 26. 1975. A total of $125,000 was appropriated for fiscal year 1976 and the transitional quarter. Advance planning studies will begin in the stage 1 portion of the Closed Basin during April. 1976. Because of the opposition of some people in the San Luis Valley to the project, the state of Colorado independently and in concert with the united states Geological Survey has undertaken and completed an exhaustive research of the possible effect of the project on existing irrigation practices in the Closed Basin. This research, which was conducted over a considerable period of time and included the construction of an electric analog model, indicates that the project will have no adverse effect upon existing irrigation practices in the Closed Basin. In addition. the present plan of development provides for construction of the project in stages in order that the effect of each stage can be evaluated. There is now pending in the united states Supreme Court a suit filed against Colorado by the states of Texas and New Mexico alleging that Colorado is in violation of the terms of the Rio Grande Compact. In 1967, the three states and the united states agreed to a stay of proceeding in the pending litigation in order to "afford a reasonable time for the interested parties to demonstrate the feasibility and imminence of an equitable administrative solution. In the meantime, the united states will explore the matter of an administrative sOlu- tion in conjunction with the three states." There appears to be only two feasible administrative solutions to the pending litigation. These are either to curtail water uses in Colorado. which is being done at the present time, or to construct the Closed Basin project to salvage waters now being nonbeneficially evaporated in the Closed Basin. Local Support Despite some opinions to the contrary, there is strong local support for the project. The project is being supported by the Rio Grande Water Conservation District. the Conejos Water conservancy District. the San Luis Valley Water conservancy District, the Rio Grande Water Users Association. the San Luis Valley Irrigation Well Owners, Inc.. and numerous other organizations and entities. It is -3-