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<br />'::f <br /> <br />. I <br />" <br /> <br />STATEMENl' OF FELIX L. SPARKS, DIRECTOR <br />COLORADO WATER CONSERVATION BOARD <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br /> <br />BEFORE THE <br /> <br />SUBCOMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS, COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS <br />UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES <br /> <br />WASHINGTON, D. C. <br />APRIL 1, 1976 <br /> <br />Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee: <br /> <br />I am Felix L. Sparks, Director and Secretary of the Colorado Water <br />Conservation Board. This board is the official agency of the State of <br />Colorado charged with protecting, developing and conserving the water <br />resources of the state. In addition to representing that board, I also <br />appear today as the representative of the Honorable Richard D. Lamm, <br />Governor of the State of Colorado. <br /> <br />For only the second time in the last twenty years, we find our- <br />selves in almost complete accord with the President's recommended recla- <br />mation budget for FY 1977. With one excepti~n, we completely. support <br />that proposed budget. The addition that we propose to the budget is as <br />follows: <br /> <br />Project <br />Dolores federal reclamation project <br /> <br />Purpose <br />Construction <br /> <br />Amount <br /> <br />$850,000 <br /> <br />The Dolores project in southwestern Colorado would develop and <br />manage waters from the Dolores River for irrigation, municipal and <br />industrial uses, recreation and fish and wildlife enhancement. Up to <br />this time, no water has ever been adjudicated or allocated to the Ute <br />Mountain Ute Indian tribe in extreme southwestern Colorado. This proj- <br />ect is designed in part to rectify that neglect. In addition to <br />serving the Indian community, a substantial amount of water would be <br />furnished to the communities and fertile farmlands of southwestern <br />Colorado. This is one of the most arid areas in Colorado, but possesses <br />an abundance of land and mineral resources. <br /> <br />The project was authorized by the Congress in 1968 and will be <br />ready for construction during the coming fiscal year. In order that <br />this project not be delayed any further, we respectfully request a <br />construction appropriation in the sum of $850,000. <br /> <br />Nine reclamation projects have been authorized for construction in <br />Colorado during the past twelve years. Despite this rather lengthy time, <br />construction funds have only been made available for the first time <br /> <br />2535 <br />