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<br /> <br />.......0$..... <br /> <br />tl <br /> <br />,. <br /> <br />STATUS OF THE SAN LUIS VALLEY PROJECT <br /> <br />By <br />R.J. Tipton <br /> <br />The subject "Status of the San Luis Valley Project" is <br />rather restricted. It could be covered by four or five <br />sentences but, after talking over various phases of the <br />project this morning with some of the Committee members. <br />it appears desirable to discuss several other matters <br />concerning the project to clear up certain questions which <br />have arisen. <br /> <br />Status of Project <br /> <br />(~ <br /> <br />I have been associated with water development during my <br />whole professional life .and I know of no large project <br />which made such rapid progress as this one has. Mr. <br />Stevens outlined the Compact negotiations which took <br />place prior to 1936. The Rio Grande Joint Investigation <br />material was made available to tho Compact Commission in <br />Septembor 1937. Immediatoly theroaftor, tho Compact Com- <br />mission startod nogotiations for a permanent Cempact. By <br />March of 1938, five months after the facts obtained by the <br />Joint Investigation were made known, a permanent Compact <br />had been consummated, which was' later ratified by the Leg- <br />islatures of the three Statcs and approved by Congress. <br /> <br />.. <br /> <br />In the same year, at the request of the San Luis Valley <br />interests and the State of Colorado, Congress authorized <br />the Corps of Enginoers to report upon what is now known <br />as the San Luis Valley Project. The Corps of Engineers, <br />through tho District Engineer, Colonel Besson, immediate- <br />ly responded. A ~reliminary examination report was sent <br />to Washington in December 1~38, in which it was concluded <br />that the flood and other water problems in the San Luis <br />Valley were of sufficient importance to justify a survey <br />report. The Chief's office of the Corps incicated in <br />Februc~ry 1939. that if tho State would give some help,the <br />Corps would preparo an interim report by April 1, 1939. <br />The State of Colorado, through the Water Conservation Board <br />and tho water users of the San Luis Valley, got busy to <br />place under one cover the results of years of investiga- <br />tions in order to nuke those data available to the Corps <br />of Engineers. A rough draft of the report of the Water <br />Conservation Board was made avpilable to the District <br />Engineer of the Corps about March 20. The Corps' report <br />was completed. and it together with the final draft of <br />the State report were in Washington on April 5. 1939. <br /> <br />1782 <br /> <br />ii, <br />I <br />~ <br /> <br />I <br />I <br />