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I industry on the eeneral economy of the project area. New agricultural development would create new settlement opportunities, more work on existing farms, and employment in related service industries. Such development would be a boon to the area's younger generation seeking job opportunities and to many now in the labor force with uncertain futures in the mining industry. Improved control of San Miguel River flows is desirable to firm the water supply for industrial expansion and associated municipal water needs. Interest has been shown in obtaining regulated water supplies near the Nucla coal reserves to stabilize and expand present operations to meet continuously increasing power requirements. Interest has also been expressed in the establishment of a wood pulp or pulp and paper mill to utilize the products of nearby forests. Development of the area's potash reserves and the use of water in secondary oil and gas recovery operations represent other potential water needs. . The growing number of tourists in the project area is creating a need for water recreation areas such as would be provided by the San Miguel Project. Reservoir areas would help fill the demand for fishing, picnicking, and other outdoor recreation opportunities. In the generally arid project area where water-oriented features are a rare and particularly valued attraction, stream and reservoir fisheries would be maintained, a nesting area for waterfowl established, and important new opportunities provided for various types of aquatic sports and for lakeshore picnicking and camping. Damaging spring flows of the San Miguel River would also be reduced by the project. I State and local interests are actively supporting the project and have contributed about $27,000 for feasibility investigations. In 1957, local farmers, ranchers, and businessmen formed the San Miguel Water Conservancy District to stimulate interest in the project and also to serve as the project administrative and contracting organiza- tion. The Southwestern Colorado Water Conservation .District, an agency formed to promote water resources development in southwestern Colorado, has worked in support of the project. The State of Colorado also has placed completion of the San Miguel Project feasibility investigations high on its list of sponsored activities. Under the proposed plan of development, irrigation water supplies would be increased by an average of 77,800 acre-feet annually for the supplemental service of 12,530 acres of presently irrigated land now having inadequate supplies, and for the full service of 26,420 acres of land not now irrigated. The project would also develop an average of 44,000 acre-feet annually of municipal and industrial I ?