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you in the meantime. Mr. Fischer: I would like to reiterate the position that the Colo- rado River Water Conservation District expressed in the memorandum sent to Director Sparks pointing out the River District's position in this matter. We are suggesting, Mr. Chairman, what we think is the optimum position for this board for the state of Colorado. I am I not sure that Mr. Sparks agrees with what we consider to be the optimum position, but nevertheless, our position unanimous by our board is that under our preliminary permit issued by the Federal Power Commission in December of 1972, based on the preliminary work under that study that the optimum position for the state of Colorado in this matter would be to encourage the inclusion of the area called the Meadows into the wilderness. Gentlemen, the water is just not there. We do urge the board to support the River District Board that the area from Patterson Creek downstream to the South Fork camp- ground be left under the jurisdiction of the Federal Power Commission. As to oil shale water requirements, certainly the Colorado River Water Conservation District, as the pUblic knows, is entering into an agreement with Humble Oil Refining Company concerning waters of our proposed Rio Blanco Reservoir. The companies themselves have water rights with or without the Colorado River Water Conservation Dis- trict. The companies are senior in adjudications to Rocky Mountain Power Company and in some cases they do have claims that are senior to some Colorado River Water Conservation claims. We urge this board to take a position supporting the COlorado River Water Conservation District which represents the county and the people of that part of western Colorado which includes the drainage of the White River. This is the reason I was hoping that Director Berthelson might be here, so that he can express what further amendments to my statement might be appropriate. I think that he is probably closer in touch with the people who live in the area. We would also like to point out that whatever happens with the wilder- ness area that this board should take a position that for lands included which include man-made water facilities, that maintenance by machinery be permitted. We submit that it is dangerous to pro- hibit the maintenance of dams, headgates and ditches by machinery. I If maintenance by hand of this facility be enforced at some point in time, there is going to be a dangerous washout and someone may be killed. I do urge that you approve the River District's sugges- tion in that regard. I think everyone here probably noticed that the United States Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee has reported a bill that includes a Flat Tops Wilderness area much larger than the boundaries -12-