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<br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I might emphasize thst, as things go, we picked this day as the one <br />where it would be most easy for the members of the congressional dele- <br />gation to meet with the Board. As you know from the agenda, the House <br />and Senate are very busy, but we expect all of them to be here at one <br />time or another during the meeting. I am going to ask your indulgence - <br />the members of the board and the audience - when they appear we will <br />break off very quickly and introduce them, and let them participate as <br />fully as possible in the agenda of the Board. <br /> <br />I am told, and I believe that the most appropriate first speaker will <br />be Congressman Aspinall. So, if I am correct, as I see I am, we look <br />forward to a fine introductory statement from a man who knows more <br />about water resources in Colorado than anyone else, Congressman Aspinall. <br /> <br />Mr. ASrinall: Mr. Chairman, I have one copy of my statement, and I <br />will g ve it to the Secretary for the record. <br /> <br />Mr. Chairman, members of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, and <br />members of the staff. It is my pleasure to appear before this Honorable <br />Board at this time at the request of representatives of water conser- <br />vancy districts of the State of Colorado. And, more particular, those <br />representatives of districts in the western part of our great state. <br /> <br />I recall with pleasure when this Board was originally legislated into <br />being during my incumbency as Speaker - the State of Colorado - in 1937. <br />If I remember correctly, I served on the Board for the first two years <br />of its legal existence, and I had the opportunity to work with the <br />Honorable Judge Clifford Stone, who served as the first Director of <br />the Colorado Water Conservation Board. His was a great service, as has <br />been that of all of the contributors to the welfare of the water <br />interests of Colorado since the time of statehood and even before. I <br />am personally pleased to be able to meet with the Board at their session <br />here in our Nation's capitol with a desire, which I understand to be <br />especially that of coordinating the efforts of the Board with the <br />activities of the members of Colorado's congressional delegation, with <br />the main purpose in mind of bringing the members of the congressional <br />delegation and the staffs up to date on the water program within our <br />state. <br /> <br />In the March issue of the publication ''Waterlife,'' f,ublished in <br />Washington, D. C., I find the following statement, 'Following its policy <br />of recent years, the Administration gives priority for maintaining <br />schedules for projects nearing completion and emphasizes energy produc- <br />tion, municipal and industrial water supply, and urban flood control." <br /> <br />I am not sure that I fully understand this statement. My inability to <br />understand is in the unanswered question as to whether or not the <br />Bureau of Reclamation in the Administration is trying to take unto <br />itself the determination of the establishment of priorities for the <br />construction of reclamation projects. Also, I am bothered by the fact <br />that in this statement there is no reference to major use of irrigation <br />in Reclamation West. <br /> <br />-3- <br />