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<br />1744 <br /> <br />~- <br /> <br />a reasonable- assumption that at-least-90 percent of the water users in <br />the San Luis Valley support the project. <br /> <br />The substantial support which has always existed for project <br />construction has increased considerably in recent years. This <br />increased support has resulted largely from the unfortunate effects <br />of the pending case of Texas and New Mexico v. Colorado. As a result <br />of this case. the Colorado State Engineer has been forced to curtail <br />water uses in Colorado. This reduction in water diversions has <br />caused severe financial hardships, particularly to well owners who <br />for the most part have junior decrees. The well owners are now <br />attempting to raise approximately one million dollars to purchase <br />surface water rights to replace the junior water being pumped from <br />wells. If the Closed Basin project were constructed. it would not be <br />necessary for the well owners to bear this heavy financial burden. <br /> <br />Considerable additional support for the project by the valley <br />residents came about through the incorporation of numerous safeguards <br />in the authorizing legislation (P.L. 92-514; 86 Stat. 964). as follows: <br /> <br />1. No project wells, other than observation wells. shall be <br />permitted to penetrate the aquiclude. or first confining clay layer. <br /> <br />2. Construction of any stage of the project after stage one <br />can be undertaken only with the consent of the Colorado water Conser- <br />vation Board and the Rio Grande Water Conservation District. <br /> <br />3. There must be incorporated into the project plans a control <br />system of observation wells which must be designed to provide posi- <br />tive identification of any fluctuations in the water table of the <br />area surrounding the project attributable to the operation of the <br />project or any part thereof. <br /> <br />4. The project facilities must be operated in a manner that <br />will not cause the water table available for any irrigation or domes- <br />tic wells in existence prior to the construction of the project to <br />drop more than two feet, and in a manner that will not cause reduction <br />of artesian flows in existence prior to the construction of the <br />project. <br /> <br />5. Construction of the project may not be started until the <br />state of Colorado agrees that it will convey to the united States <br />easements and rights-of-way over lands owned by the state that are <br />needed for project purposes and wildlife refuge areas. Acquisition <br />of privately owned lands, where possible and consistent with the <br />development of the project. shall be restricted to easements and <br />rights-of-way in order to minimize the removal of land from local <br />tax rolls. <br /> <br />-4- <br />