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<br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I would like to introduce to the board ~tt. Bob Taylor, a former <br />county commissioner from La Plata County and long-time member of the <br />La Plata Water Conservancy District. Bob. <br /> <br />Mr. Tavlor: Thank you. Gentlemen, I am Bob Taylor, a dirt farmer <br />from the Animas-La Plata area. For some years, we have labored with <br />an interstate compact between Colorado and New Mexico and this has <br />caused a very severe water shortage for the last forty years in our <br />area. This project would solve most of the problems associated with <br />this interstate compact. We need to recognize this and to realize <br />that this could solve a very great problem as far as the irrigators <br />and the economy in the area are concerned. <br /> <br />Now showing what happened back in the 1920's, there were about 25,000 <br />acres of land under irrigation and it was actually irrigated. Pres- <br />ently, this has dwindled down to somewhere around 4,000 acres. At <br />the best it has a very meager water supply which allows no irriga- <br />tion planning and, of course, no economic stability whatever. <br /> <br />This project consists mostly of full service of supplemental lands, <br />not new lands. The lands presently being farmed are either farmed <br />or pastured. Pastured because there is not enough water to do any- <br />thing else with them. I want to point out to you that the soil <br />characteristics of this area are ideal. It is a sandy, red loam <br />soil. The Colorado area that I am familiar with, there really isn't <br />any salinity problem to be involved in our Colorado lands. Ideally, <br />it is a wonderful economic farm situation with the addition of the <br />water. <br /> <br />I want to point out one other thing that the water is so short there <br />that many of the farmers in the area have to haul even drinking water. <br />There is not even water for that. There really isn't any under- <br />ground water to be developed. In one of the dry farm areas there <br />are no wells available, no water available down to several hundred <br />feet. They have tried. In other areas that have wells, they are <br />insufficient for domestic use. In other areas there are some wells. <br /> <br />Gentlemen, this project as far as the impact to agriculture and to <br />the economy of the area and the stability of an interstate problem <br />is very essential. Thank you. <br /> <br />Mr. Stapleton: Thank you, Mr. Taylor. <br /> <br />Mr. Mavnes: Mr. Chairman and members of the board, I would next like <br /> <br />-6- <br />