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streams is only about 1 million a~eet. Added to that, we have 1.25 million acre-feet which nature puts in our under- ground basins each year. "That leaves us with a deficit of 2.25 million acre-feet, which we have been making up by mining our underground supplies. The result is a cancer that is way down deep. \Ve are using up water that it took hundreds and hundreds of years to accumulate under this desert." Mr. Mehren owns irrigated land. He tells from first-hand experience what is happening under the desert: "I watch those wells like a hawk, so I l..-now exactly what is happening to the water table. In 1930, we were pumping from less than 100 feet. Now, we are pumping from 465 feet. ''I'm luckier than a lot of people. In many areas, they haven't been able to follow the water table down, and have had to give up. As a result, 350,- 000 acres. of good Arizona land have gone out of production. "We have left about a million acres l,mdcr irrigation, and we need to hold that to keep the balance in our econoiny. That is why this bill now before Con- gress, . which would authorize the Central Arizona Project, is so important to our State." . The Central Arizona Project is the JIIilljon~ biggest single construction project in the Then -"'- all the worry bill now before Congress. Though the. ""V bill is titled, ''The Lower Colorado River about water in the Phoenix Basin Project," itll provisions affect cli- area? rectIy all seven of the basin's States. Mr. Mehren points out Over-all cost of the Central Arizona that DI81'1y' f::l1"'l'llfll!"''' ;,.,..; i'SIIt..fll! Project is put at 1 billion dollars. This f'roa wells, and S!l-: cost would be financed out of the Fed- - - eral Treasury, and then repaid over the awe can't bring in the vears from sales of water and power. industry overnight to . Backbone of the Arizona development create jobs for people. is an' aqueduct that would tap the Colo- Every time a :tarmer goes rado River at Havasu Lake, the reser- out of business because voir behind Parker Dam. From Havasu Lake, Arizona would his well has gone dry, get 1.2 million acre-feet of water each this area loses jobs and year. Of this, around 200,000 acre-feet baying power. Less fer- would be lost through evaporation as tileizer and machinery the water flows through open sections of is sold. There are the 300-mile-Iong aqueduct into the Phoenix and Tucson areas. fewer people to pay off The Phoeni" area would get 900,000 the school bonds and to acre-feet of water. ~Iost of this would buy Fords, Cherles, and be used to "rescue" irrigated land that Plymouths. That I s why is going out of production because of shrinking undergrowld supplies. Another YOU see so 1lUlnT emtrtv 100,000 acre-feet of water would flow A+~...tII!"; n tnwna 1; kA on to Tucson to rescue that city. Coolidg"e~ Tucson, according to ~Iayor Lew Dav- Cooliflige is a tollD. of is, "is the largest city in the world that about 5.000 southeast of gets every drop of its water from under- ground sources." With the water table Phoenix in Pinal Count,.. dropping, Tucson has to keep drilling one of the richest farm- , Uk ing areas in the u. s . flew wells. "It s just . e Much of this area is wildcatting for oil ~ s~ irrigated from wells. M~r Daris. The water table is fall- Mr. Daris points out that i.ng fast. Tueson has never had a water South west of Coolidge shortage or restrictions on around Francisco Grande, water. He adds that under- you can see what happens ground reserves have been loc- when water gives out. ated. to meet the city's fore- Pump installations that seeable needs. $ Farm Water For Phoenix. cost 50,000 or more are ~ 1 -t . t . th abandoned. The land Phoemx, arges c~ ':1' J.Il e aroUnd them is going back State ~th nearly a J1rl.:!-1ion to ~~ebrush and cactus. people ~n its aetropoli tan. area .A. - few miles to the west get~ water from the SaJ. t River in sharper contrast, Pr.eJect, as well as from un~r- water is still available ground.. This. project. was built Long-staple cotton, a years ago, mainly to irrigate high-value crop, grows farmland. As the . city expands, on irrigated lami. Cat-- irrigation water ~s taken over tle are fattened in big to "supp~ ~me~ and.. industry. feedlots, with grain and Phoemx an t goJ.Dg ~ dry ~ grown nearby. There up and blow awa:y, even J.f we are winter vegetables never get more water from the and. cut flowers that Colorado~ sqs Mr. Mehren. bring fancy prices. But "Water experts tell us that this area too will be the Salt River ~ject would reclaimed'by the desert SUPP13 a population of 10 unless water is brought - :>LI-