BOARD01253

• Board Meeting Date: 1/28/1946
• Description: Table of Contents and Minutes
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Minutes

and IlSked us to agree upon the d"finition of the term irrigated
aoreage, Neither ColoradO nor Ifebrasn saw fit to agree on any of
those points. So far as Colorado. is oonoerned We explained the plan
whioh we had for oarrying out the prorlaions of the deoree and we are
going ahead on that basis and we think we will aomply with the deare..
fully. Nebraska thought it would be satisfaatory to them if we .
prooeed on that basis. That is a brier report. The aammittee will
meet again to outline a definite progralll."

,~^

At the oonolusion of' his report Mr. Breitenstein repautaended that the
aommittee be oontinued inasmuoh as it will be necessary to oonsider the
problem further in order that the state may take appropriate steps to pro-
vide ways and means for oompliance with the deoree.

Considerable disoussion, in which C. L. Patterson,. Chief Engineer of
the,Board. John B. O'Rourke. Mr. Breitenstein and the Director participated,
ensued.

Thereupon it was moved by Judge John B. O'Rourke
and seoonded by J. M. Dille that the committee be oon-
tinued with power to act.

Upon vote being taken the motion WaS unanimously
carried and declared adopted.

The Board then took up item 12 on the agenda for the meeting. This
aonoerned the 'proposal for attempting to obtain an Act of Congress elim-
rating the land limitation provisions af'the Reolamation laws with respect
to the. San Luis Valley projeot. The question involved (1) whether the at-
tempt.should be made I and (2) if such legislation is attempted, then whether
it should be through a bill oovering only the San Luis Valley project or
through an omnibus bill oovering projects in Colorado, California and Texas,
where the same problem hIlS arisen. Jean S. Breitenstein, Attorney- f'or the
Board, was asked to make a report on the IIlI.tter. George M. Corlett.
representing the Rio Grande linit,. and C. S. Birldns, representing the~onejos
unit, of the San Luis Vi.lley project. expressed their views. Disoussion of
the matter oontinued until 12.30 p.m., when the Beard recessed for lunch.

The llleeting adj ourned at 12 .30 p.m., to reoonvene at 2,00 p.m.

Afternoon Session, January 28, 1946

Viae-Chairman ChriS Wallrioh oalled the meeting to order at 2rOO p.m.
The Board resumed consideration of the question of removal of land limitation
provisions of the Reolamation laws on the San Luis Valley projeot.

. .

John Brady of the Conejos linit of the projeat, was called upon and made
a statement supporting tl1at IIlIlde in the forenoon by C. S. Birkins.

Further discussion ensued. It was the oonsensus of opinion that a
repayment oontraot between the Govermnent and the water users under the San
Luis 'lalley projeot oould not be made unless the land limitation provisions
of the Reolamation law are removed by an Aot of Ccmgressl and that no
definite deoision oould be made at this time as to the form of legislation.