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<br />272 <br /> <br />which could be installed in the area and one <br />can readily see that to deprive us of any water <br />whatsoever would be a disasterous blow to our <br />nations future economy. - <br /> <br />Keep and bear in mind that this portion of the <br />United States is arrid, having a lessor annual <br />precipitation than the Sahara Desert. This stage <br />of development is known as the machin~ age and as <br />such our economy is dependent upon using the various <br />sources of energy that are available and as was <br />previously stated with 5% of the world's reserves <br />of coal in this area, and the certain knowledge <br />that these will come into development, safe guards <br />for our future interest must be imposed by leaving <br />sufficient water to meet the needs of this day. <br />The increase in population and the resulting demand <br />for domestic and industrial water will create a <br />demand on the waters of this area even far greater <br />than can be supplied. Many other natural .resources <br />in this area will be left undeveloped in the event <br />there is no water available for such production as <br />well as the accompanying P9pulation growth. . <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Figures have been placed before you in connection <br />with the shale industry and.the pulp wood industry. <br />This area also serves and supplies water for a <br />considerable portion of the Uranium extraction so <br />vital to our national security. <br /> <br />Other deposits of minerals are in existence in <br />this area in commercial quantities. Running the <br />qamut from the precious metal mines in the Upper <br />Gunnison and Uncompahgre water sheds, iron ore in <br />vast quantities, feldspar, florspar, lead, zinc, <br />copper and all simply await the day when economic <br />conditions cause them to be extracted to support <br />bur nation's economy. Vast acres of tillable land <br />await only the application of water thereon and <br />available existing ditch systems. The lengthen~ng <br />of one ditch system in Delta County, coupled with <br />one comparatively small lift, could irrigate from <br />5,000 to 6,000 acres of new land. This would be <br />an extension of the present North Delta Canal. One <br />could go on this vein for hours." <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Mr. Art Starr, Sedaredge made-the following statement: <br /> <br />"The Government owns 47% of the land in Colorado. <br />A lot of that, (26%), is pasture land and grazing <br />land. It is a big tax load for the rest of the <br />state to carry. I don't know how we can do any- <br />thing unless we develop something in our county. <br />2610 has not put up any money to build roads. We <br />have to have more schools. We need develo~nent". <br />