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-2- I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Arkansas River Basin and have participated in numerous court cases throughout the State covering many phases of the constitutional, statutory and case made water laws of the State of Colorado. As a result of this prior experience, they are generally familiar with the areas where existing laws need to be modified or supplemented, as outlined in S. B. 407. It is our belief that modifications could be made in the Colorado water law relating to change in point of diversion suits, duty of water, administrative regulations by the State Engineer, storage of direct flow rights and possibly the establishment of a special water court. We have excluded these Items from consideration at this time. The study and preliminary report concerns itself only with developing a plan or plans to integrate the ground and surface water uses in the Arkansas River Basin in accordance with the priority system which would provide the maximum benefits from the water resources in this basin. INITIAL INVESTIGATIONS It was real ized from the outset that any proposed solution would require an overall basin approach. Alterations and/or modifica- tions of the surface flow above and especially below Pueblo by any means automatically affects surface water rights throughout the entire basin. Thus, our first work included detailed discussions on all phases of irrigation in the basin with successful farmers, ranchers, ditch company officials and Water Commissioners from Holly to Salida. Among the items covered were: 1. The advantages and disadvantages of winter irrigation. 2. The deterioration in water quality progressively down- stream from Pueblo and Its affect upon crop yields. 3. The effectiveness of the use of water impounded in John Martin Reservoir. 4. The effect of well water use upon surface flows In the Arkansas River.