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000623 ~1~~~ IIi WILDERNESS AREAS AND WILD RIVERS The Western States Water Council believes that only through the multiple use of land and water resources can the greatest good and the greatest economic growth of the eleven western states be achieved. Under the National Wilderness Preservation Act, certain public lands have been designated as wilderness areas. It is contemplated that additional public lands will be added to the wilderness system, Similarly, the proposed wild rivers legislation would reserve certain public lands. Some of the wilderness areas and potential wild river areas contain existing storage reservoirs and reservoir sites which are important to the development and use of our water resources. Closing of a stream by designating it a wild river before its potentials have been studied and known could be a disaster to municipal, industrial, and agricultural development and growth. ACREAGE LIMITATIONS The acreage limitation provlSlons of the federal reclamation law are public land laws of great concern to the member states on the Western States Water Council. We urge that the Public Land Law Review Commission care- fully re-examine these laws, The federal reclamation laws contain provisions that prohibit the Bureau of Reclamation from delivering water to more than 160 acreS of land in one ownership, unless the owner signs so-called "recordable contracts". For many years, the acreage limitation provisions were liberally interpreted. Recently, however, the Department of the Interior has issued and is implementing new and stricter interpretations of these provisions, Included in these interpretations are rulings with respect to the use of water on lands owned by family corporation and in co-ownership, The provisions had their origin in the 105-year-old Homestead Act when farming was a matter of a horse. and a walking plow, and whe.n investment and overhead were minor matters, That situation has changed, Farming in the West has become a highly competitive, mechanized operation requiring a large capital investment and use of the most modern methods in order for the farmer to realize a reasonable return. In the areas of intensive irrigated agriculture, most of the agricultural economy is based on this concept. Except for the production of a limited number of specialty crops, a 16o-acre holding will not support the investment for machinery, equipment, irrigation facilities, and associated operat- ing costs necessary for a successful farming enterprise, In addition, areas of short growing season and poorer lands in high mountain valleys have a further disadvantage when acreage limitations are imposed because of relatively lower yields per acre. The present interpretations concerning the application - 25-