BOARD02203

• Board Meeting Date: 3/20/1975
• Description: Agenda or Table of Contents, Minutes, Resolution
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

Now, there is very little development that can take place in our area
without additional water supplies. We have very little underground
water, even for the domestic wells.

We are concerned about Indian water rights. I am sure that they have
some rights, and they also need water on their lands. There is just '
not sufficient water in the La Plata River to satisfy everyone's needs. I
It is an old story, but its age does not detract from the tragedy of
lost dreams because of lack of water. The only way to provide this
needed water is through construction of our water projects.

In our project area, the supplemental lands produce very little without
water. The fields are bindweed infested and dry1and farming just does
not work in these fields. However, with water the same fields can
produce good crops of small grains, ensilage, hay crops and pastures.
The full service lands in the project are mostly dryland pinto bean and
wheat lands. These have done quite well in the last two years because
of high prices, although the yields are very poor. This profitable
market cannot last because of falling prices and increasing costs. All
in all, beans are a very unstable crop under dryland conditions.

We are very pleased and encouraged by the progress which has been made
during the last two years of the planning process. Now, the Animas-
La Plata Advisory Team - I'll explain this a little - was comprised of
about 34 local people from the district and has increased to about 46
people; and this team includes members of Indian tribes, and the Sierra
Club had input. This team has carefully considered input from all
interest groups in our project area and is arriving ata plan which has
many attractive features over the plan as originally authorized. Among
these are the recreation potential for what is known as the Ridges
Basin Reservoir immediately south of the City of Durango and the possi-
bility that the La Plata River which historically is a dry stream during
most of the year may, through utilization of project waters and storage
facilities, become a live stream from La Plata Canyon to the City of
Farmington, New Mexico. We are as proud of these environmental benefits
as we are of the benefits which will come to our farmers and ranchers.

We appreciate the support that has been given to our project and the
efforts that have been made to put it in the advance planning stage.
We plan to be asking for construction funds next year.

We have confidence in the worthwhile nature of our project and, like our
good friends from other parts of Colorado, realize the value of water
to all areas of the State. Your continuing support for our project will
be greatly appreciated.

Mr. Mavnes: Mr. Brown, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Brown: Mr. Chairman and members of the Board, my name is Robert
Brown. I am appearing here today as the Chairman of the City Water
Board of the City of Durango, Colorado. I have previously served on the
City Council of the City of Durango and as president of the Council.
My long association with city government has enabled me to understand

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