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<br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Mr. Reid: Well, as long as we can work together, I think we will do <br />the job. <br /> <br />Mr. Stapleton: Larry, I hate to ask, is Utah State University doing <br />your studies? <br /> <br />(Laughter) <br /> <br />~tr. Sparks: I wasn't aware of that. We will buck that over to the <br />Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife and our Division of wildlife. <br />If they have any confidence in the studies, then perhaps we will accept <br />them. <br /> <br />Mr. Reid: It is the Utah cooperative fisheries, Bureau of Sport <br />Fisheries and Wildlife. <br /> <br />Mr. Sparks: The chief of our environmental division is Mr. Helton, who <br />is here today. It is a specific responsibility of this board to appro- <br />priate water for the benefit of all the people of the state of Colorado <br />to preserve minimum stream flows for the preservation of environmental <br />values. Our obvious concern is that we don't want the Yampa River <br />placed in bondage to a short stretch of the downstream area. On the <br />other hand, we have as much responsibility as you do in connection with <br />this important matter. We intend to discharge that responsibility as <br />adequately as we can. <br /> <br />What priority date are you requesting in connection with that filing? <br /> <br />Mr. Moses: Since the establishment of the Monument. <br /> <br />Mr. Sparks: What was the date of the establishment of the Dinosaur <br />Monument? That would be, I assume, the priority date that the federal <br />government is requesting. <br /> <br />I~. Jones: Well, the original 80 acres was 19l5, but the Monument was <br />enlarged to include the canyon country in 1938. <br /> <br />~tr. Sparks: So basically you are talking about a 1938 decree. That <br />in any event could not affect any decrees in Colorado which were <br />granted prior to that date. Under a decision rendered by the United <br />States Supreme Court about three years ago, the federal government is <br />required to adjudicate its water rights in accordance with the state <br />law. So that whatever priority the federal government gets has to fit <br />into our system. Generally, the date that the federal government claims <br />is the date of the establishment of the national forests, national parks <br /> <br />-11- <br />