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<br />I <br />I 0= 2144 <br /> <br />" <br />I <br />I <br />, <br />I <br />. <br />. <br />t <br />t <br />I <br />t <br />. <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />the ability of the people to repay. Our diagnosis at this time Is <br /> <br /> <br />only partially complete, and to come up with a definite recommendation <br /> <br /> <br />or recommendations of a solution at this time for the Arkansas RIver <br /> <br /> <br />Basin could possibly lead to disastrous conclusions and/or results <br /> <br /> <br />as there is no question In my mind that modifications to the studies <br /> <br /> <br />will have to be made as the work progresses. <br /> <br /> <br />Now let us get down to some of the specifics. What are some <br /> <br /> <br />of the problems involved? The maIn problem is the limited amount <br /> <br /> <br />of water available. Exhibit A has been prepared to show the magni- <br /> <br /> <br />tude of the shortages In the Arkansas River Basin from Pueblo to Las <br /> <br /> <br />Animas. This exhibit is self-explanatory, but by a cursory examination <br /> <br /> <br />it will be noted that a few of the ditches have diverted considerably <br /> <br /> <br />in the excess of their requirements, An example is the last ditch <br /> <br /> <br />listed. In the line showing the totals, it will be noted there are <br /> <br /> <br />approximately 257,000 acres irrigated in this reach, that the Bureau <br /> <br />of Reclamation's ideal water requirements for these lands amounts <br /> <br /> <br />to 881,000 acre feet per year and that the historic supply amounted <br /> <br /> <br />to about 500,000 acre feet per year. In the last column of the totals <br /> <br /> <br />line, it will be noted that only 56 percent of the Bureau's ideal <br /> <br /> <br />requirement was met by diversions during the irrigation season, on <br /> <br /> <br />an average annual basis, for the 1950 to 1965 period. The two bottom <br /> <br /> <br />lines show that 234,000 acres had an inadequate supply on an average <br /> <br /> <br />annual basis, compared to about 23,000 acres Which had an over supply. <br /> <br /> <br />Now referring to Exhibit B, the average annual ideal water <br /> <br /> <br />requirements, based upon the Bureau of Reclamation's data from Pueblo <br /> <br /> <br />to the State Line are shown along with historic diversions on a <br /> <br /> <br />monthly basis. This exhibit portrays the extreme shortages, based <br /> <br /> <br />upon ideal requirements, in the months of July, August, and September. <br /> <br /> <br />Some additional water can be made available through the <br /> <br /> <br />judicious development and use of the ground water resources along <br /> <br />with the use of available surface water resources. Part of the demands <br /> <br /> <br />and/or water requirements in the lower Arkansas River BasIn below <br /> <br /> <br />John Martin Reservoir can be supplied by the use of ground water resources. <br /> <br />~2- <br />