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<br />on the agenda is the Closed Basin Project. We have available a summary <br />of that project. The board will recall that-last year we gave the <br />Closed Basin first priority for funding. This has been a project on <br />which the people of the San Luis Valley have worked for many years <br />trying to bring it to completion. It's,been difficult with the prob- <br />lem that we're having in the San Luis Valley because of the fact that <br />Texas and New Mexico have filed a suit against us in the United-States I <br />Supreme Court alleging failure on the part of Colorado to deliver under <br />the terms of the Rio Grande Compact. The case is still pending and the <br />Department of~Justice agreed: some years ago to stipulate that the case <br />would be:held in abeyance pending an administrative solution to the,: <br />problem. The Supreme Court entered an'order.based upon that stipulation. <br /> <br />The Closed Basin is wasting a great amount of water, to the extent of <br />about 'half a million acre-feet.ofwater ~very year. -It's being lost by <br />evaporation and is one of:the greatest losses of water anywhere in'the <br />West. It's the equivalent of about fifty percent',of the annual flow of <br />the Rio Grande River. This project was designed to salvage at least a <br />portion of:that water which is~being lost. In.addition:to the cases in <br />the United States Supreme Court, we pointed out several years ago in <br />our previous summary that there would be extensive internal litigation <br />in the San buis Valley among the,people'down there, neighbor:suing <br />neighbor, among other things; ~ ~ ~ <br /> <br />- -. . - - -~ .. - <br />In recent months a suit was filed in the' United States:Federal District <br />Court here in Denver against the State Engineer and others over the <br />administration of water of the Rio Grande River in the.San 1uis Vall~y. <br />Mr. ROQbins,the Assistant Attorney~eneral; advises:that the suit was <br />dismissed on the grounds-that there was no substantial federal question <br />involved. However, in protest against the rules and regulations pro- <br />mulgated by the State for-the administration of the river:there have. <br />been some ninety challenges. And that may go to a hundred or more in <br />the.near future. I don't know how many 'law firms are 'involved, but. <br />quite a few, including a number of firms here in Denver. Apparently, <br />people down there are not.satisfied'with the local: talent and are . <br />importing talent out of Denver to solve their problems. Like all good <br />attorneys, all of those involved~will:fight for their clients' rights <br />to the client's last dollar. The tragedy is that'none of the pro- :. <br />tracted litigation will produce additional water. It will create <br />lasting hatreds among neighbors in the San Luis Valley and was:pre- . <br />dieted several years ago. <br /> <br />, <br />.. . " .. <br />The board has not had a'comprehensive review of this project for some <br />time. At this time, Mr. Chairman, I would like to turn the program <br />over to Mr. Weber of the Bureau of Reclamation. Mr. Weber is out of I <br />Albuquerque and represents the regional headquarters at Amarillo. This <br />is the region,which is responsible for,the ClosedBasin~Project~ <br />Through~the efforts of the congressional delegation and: the people of : <br />the San Luis Valley, this was: added to the.budget last year, the sum . <br />of $125,000, to commence the. definite plan report on the project. ~ <br />The President this year has aceeleraEed that appropriation by requesting <br />that the sum of $375,000 be appropriated. It is encouraging that the <br />: President is now backing this project. At this time, I.would like to <br /> <br />-2- <br />