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<br />275 <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />basin. The largest body of bituminous, anthracite <br />and coking coal lies in the Gunnison basin. Can <br />anyone overlook the potential value of all of <br />these natural resources to the State and to the <br />Nation? <br /> <br />MORE POWER. The Gunnison river from the toe of <br />the proposed Curecanti dam flows through a narrow <br />canyon for forty miles and in this forty miles <br />drops in elevation approximately 2,000 feet. Water <br />stored in the Curecanti reservoir can be used over <br />and over again in sucoessive drops to produce <br />power. Therefore, credit should be given to the <br />Curecanti reservoir as a supply of water for these <br />power drops. As the Curecanti storage is in <br />addition to what is now required to pass through <br />the diversion tunnel into the Uncompahgre Valley, <br />this water would be available for production of <br />power in the Black Canyon. <br /> <br />Seventy-four percent of the area of Western Colorado <br />is public land, therefore, only twenty-six percent <br />provide the tax revenue to carryon the public <br />functions of the area. Agriculture alone cannot <br />provide this revenue under present conditions. <br />The economy of the area must be tied to industrial <br />development which cannot be realized without water <br />storage on the Gunnison river. As the low flow <br />with ten storage projects generating hydro-electric <br />power and in turn contributing to the repayment of <br />non-power producing project we have a feasible over- <br />all river plan. <br /> <br />Through the construction of inter-connecting transmis- <br />sion lines, the greatest quantity of firm power can <br />be developed and sold. This surely is good economy. <br />'We all ~how that each tributary that makes up the <br />Colorado river does not contribute a like amount of <br />water each year to the main stream. Without inter- <br />connecting transmission lines this adverse condition <br />cannot be overcome. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Through the original plan of allocating overall <br />basin costs and basin benefits, Curecanti is feasible <br />and an important item in the basin plan. <br /> <br />RECREATION. The Curecanti reservoir will provide <br />a profitable scenic and fishing attraction to the <br />State of Colorado. If this water is allowed to be <br />retained at the Glen Canyon Reservoir the recrea- <br />tional and tourist value will be lost to Colorado. <br />And as the water when stored in Glen Canyon will be <br />too warm to provide trout habitation an attractive <br />trout fishing lake will be lost to everyone. <br />