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WATER 6TEMARD611I P <br />6 10 <br />Western irrigation states have been trying to get legislation approved giving <br />states prior rights over the federal government in connection with the appropriation <br />and use of water. When one realizes the difference between beneficial use and best <br />use, it is nct hard to envision a condition where wasteful but legal use of water <br />could be the cause of hunger and privation throughout the nation. It is becoming <br />more and more apparent that our water resources are less adequate than our soil <br />resources. <br />This effort by irrigation states will doubtless furnish a useful but futile <br />political plank for western politicians until it has been splintered by dis— <br />illusion. '.'re can expect the other states to protect their future food supply. <br />Best use of water requires the expenditure of money for upstream storages and <br />efficient diversions. The eater must be applied to fertile land. The federal <br />government stands ready with interest free money to build and improve structures. <br />The federal government has its program to subsidize soil fertility. If this sort <br />of thing cannot get us to take care cf and properly use our natural resources, how <br />can we expect the big majority to overlook our wastefulness and give us the power <br />to abuse them? <br />The d: %rthern Colorado 1=rater Conservancy District has done nothing to cooperate <br />with the federal government in conserving the great waste of flood water from <br />their watershed. In fact the functioning of the district has materially increased <br />this waste. It has also quite materially reduced the water supply accessible to <br />California, a very populous state and a rich one from the standpoint of land <br />resources* <br />it is high time we started getting our house in order. We should build flood <br />storages and a new distribution system to non- irrigated land to make use of new <br />water developed by conservation. Sealing of our ,major ditches to stop seepage <br />and to some extent evaporation loss would crate a surplus quite adequate for a <br />major ditch in the Nunn area. The water saved would cover the cost. A lot of <br />new wealth would be created. <br />