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0898 September 1972 PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIO;jS --- ----- The earliest investigations of tne Animas and La Plata Rivers by the Bureau of Reclamation date back to about 1904 and have continued interrr,ittently since that tiwe. ~ost of these early studies, in- cluding those of the early 1940's, considered each drainage separa- tely. Studies of potential diversions from the Animas River were started in 1936. In the early 1950's a plan similar to the present one was studied and reported On in the Ilovember 1954 status report. 'rhe rough analyses made for that report sholled the J\nirr,as-.La Plata Project to be economically justified with a benefit--cost ratio of 1.3 to 1 and that further studies directed towards a feasibility report were warranted. Feasibility investigation for an authori- zing report were resumed in July 1955. ~STIFICATIOJ-YOR ItNESTIGATIOJ A dependable water supply is the most urgent need of the project area. It is essential to stabilization of agriculture on the pre- sently irrisated area, and to the continuing develo~"ent of other resources. The water available for use on the 25,600 acres of lands with water rights from the La Plata River is sufficient to provide an average of only about 29 percent of a full water supply. The amount of land actually irrigated each year varies with the erratic water supply and has ranged from a miniMum of about 10,,000 acres to a maxiMum of about 24,000 acres. During the extreme drouth that occurred in 1934, over 70 percent of the people in the project area "lere receiving some forM of public relief. Project water will not only stabilize the economy for the supplemen,- tal service lands, but will provide a supply for 46,520 acres of full service lands, all of which will make possible settlement opportunities for approximately 225 neW farm families. Expansion of the municipal water supply system of the area has not kept pace with the population growth, and sizeable quantities of industrial water are required for the development of thermal electric powerplants which would utilize the area'S significant coal reserves. The economy of the surrounding area is largely dependent upon tOllrlsm and the exploration, production, and processing of mineral and petro.- leurn resources. Tourisn is seB,sonal and Mineral and petroleum indus- tries are very sensitive to price relationships. 'l'he increase in agricultural production resultinG from the project will tend to stimulRte and sta.biJ ize the entire San Juan Basin economy. 3