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~ ~ ~, f.~A l~ occupation of the tribe is the production of cattle and sheep. Some of the best tribal grazing lands are situated on the high mesas in the vicinity of the Mesa Verde National Park. In order to supply the cattle on these lands with drinking water, a tank truck is utilized on a daily basis over a long and tortuous road. Both the Southern Ute tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute tribe have a substantial amount of land which could produce considerable feed for their livestock if water could be made avail- able. Both reservations also contain significant coal deposits. The Animas-La Plata project is designed to furnish both tribes with suffi- cient water supplies to take care of their domestic, irrigation and industrial needs. The eventual construction of the project will be a test as to whether or not the federal government is serious in its many pro- nouncements of providing better economic opportunities for the various Indian tribes. In addition to the developing Indian resources, the project will make water available to the nonIndian population for substantial indus- trial development, for municipal and rural domestic uses and for the production of better crops. Aside from the valley floor of the San Luis Valley, the southwestern portion of the state is the most arid in Colorado. However, the lands there are generally of high quality and will produce abundantly with irrigation. In large segments of the rural areas, the residents now haul their domestic water from distant sources and store it in home cisterns. The project is in an area of fairly high unemployment and depressed incomes. ~ The project is beset with some difficulties. A reservoir to store the excess waters of the La Plata River is essential to the project. However, because of various conditions, it may not be possible to actually construct a reservoir on the Animas River. However, various off-channel sites are being investigated and will probably furnish the solution to the reservoir problem. Another problem is the high cost of the project and the low tax base of the sponsoring water conservancy district. A further problem is that the lands contemplated to be irrigated in New Mexico have a high salinity content. " ,~ ~ There are potential solutions to all of the problems and they are being explored at this time. However, these problems cannot be resolved unless advance planning continues. 'i It is therefore recommended as follows: 1. That funds in the sum of $400,000 be sought for F.Y. 1974 to continue the advance planning. -7-