BOARD01143

• Board Meeting Date: 12/11/1953
• Description: Minutes and Resolution
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

309

site has not been investigated yet. I think bed rock will be found to
be within a favorable distance. Vie are trying now to make a few thou-
sand dollars available for the survey. The survey of the railroad is
something different and is a very ccmplicated matter. (Mr. Larson shows
topographic map at. this point). The present railroad has much tangent.
The maximum mnnber of. acres under the flow line is 2,500,000 acres."

Mr. Larson:
'55 programs
connaissance

"It would be entirely covered up. Vie have set up in our
certain funds and I think we should first get out a re-
report as part of the program".

I

Mr. Peterson: "What would happen to the town of DeBeque if this re-
servoir were built?"

Mr. Cory: "BovI long would it take for the Bureau to say definitely
that DeBeque is feasible?"

Mr. Larson: (P.ecorded'unable to hear).

Mr. Bailey: "Do you, Mr. Tipton, have any comments?"

Mr. Tipton: "This site is one thing that has come very recently in-
to the picture. We know, without a question that Colorado, and any of
the other states in the Upper Basin, need all the storage that can be
obtained, so that we may put our water to use in the Upper River.
There will not be enough potential storage sites, so any site that is
in shooting distance of feasibility should be investigated. Without
question, if we are going to have major shale oil development in the
Western Slope, there must be substantial storage. There is a lot of
water there, but an industry has to operate 365 days a year and must
have water every. day. This reservoir is ver~' strategically situated
for that purpose~ The'biggest demand on the river is what we call
the Cameo demand; It Vlould permit the major industrial development
to go forward. Grand Junction is going.to be the center of major in-
dustry. I made a report to the Columbine Paper Company as to the
availability of water for its intended use. They do not need much
water for consumptive purposes. I suggested to Mr.. Riter to let the
railroad engineers indicate what should be done. The most important
thing in the West is the development of water and every drop should
be developed if it can be developed. That does mean that this'reser-
voir in the end would be feasible under the present rule. It certainly
meri ts very serious consideration and all the study necessary to de-
termine if it is feasible."

Mr. Bailey: "Any questions of Mr. Tipton?"

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Mr. Delaney: "What consideration had been given under the compact of
1938 to that situation? Mr. Larson mentioned the new land. I am won-
dering if the members of the Board would be interested in parts of
Colorado."

Mr. Tipton:. "There may be a little misunderstanding about that. The
nevI lands you mentioned to the Board were those new lands you found
instead of Cliff Divide".

Mr. Larson: "We have not made any definite survey."