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j \ ,} ,c'", ~: ':'f,:':) "March 24, 1975 CORTEZ SENTINEL (~ortez, Colorado Willard E, r.ew-is Grand Junction Durango Dist: 140 uC-140 uc-'roo ~' Felix Sparks, CWCB . I THIS (0 Rel,:;ional Solicitor, LC . MAR 2 8 J975 !~(Jre suoroort ~ 8 U .' . D(!j)UCOJre~ f?{owrrer PrOff~iCY' RECEIVED ,.\. The Dolores RIver Project received 10 ajor boosts from two separate sources during the past week. . First came from the Colo- rado Senale under a special Memorial sponsored by State Senator Dan Noble o1N orwood and later In theweek, the COlo- rado Water Conservancy Board, me,UnglnWashlngton, endorsed the project for $500, . 000 In construction funds, The Sena.te Mem orial was past earlier last week while the endorsement for the con- struction funds by the CWCB came following the pre- sentation 01 testimony by the Dolores Water Conservancy DistrIct otflclals and others. The Colorado Congressional delegation or representatives llIso attended the session. Testimony waS also pre- sented by Ute tribe officials, This recommendation by the CWCB now Is to be forwarded to the Colorado Congressional delegation. Board members from the DWCD will have to testify be- for theSub-commltlee on Pub- lic Works at a later date. A spokesmen who attended the meeting In Washington said that tribe o1ficlals testified they would 'rather have a shar- Ing participation through con- struction Of the Animas- La Plata and the DOlores Project rather an any possible rights they might receive through lawsuits filed by the Justice Department, The Senate passed Memorial Number One last week re- questing Congress to appro- priate funds for several re- clamation projects In Colo- rado. It especially requested "write-in" funds to begin the Dolores Project. Sen. Noble personally de- livered the Memorial to the Colorado Congressional dele- gation and administration of- ficials In Washington, D.C., on March 19. AJI members 01 the Colo- rado Senate present and voting the morning of March 18 cosponsored MemorIal No. 1. The Memorial ttUe reads: "~1'emoriali7.ing the- Congress of the United Slates to appro- priate funds for the fiscal year 1976 pursuant to the re- quest of the President which specified cert.in federal reclamation projects In Colo- radO, and requesting,Con- gress to Include the Dolores Project as one of high prior- Ity for the future 01 Western Colorado." It explatns that, during the period 1964-1974, the U.S. Congress has authorized con- struction of nine federal ' reclamation projects In Colorado upon which con- struction hasn't started, . These are the Animas - La Plata, Closed Basin, Dallas Creek, Fruitland Mesa, Narrows, San Miguel,Savery- PostHook and West Divide projects. The Animas La Plata, Do- lores, Dallas Creek, San MIgUel and West Divide pro- jects were authorized In Sept,. 30, 1968, as participailngpro_ jects under the Colorado River Storage Project,. The Secretary 01 Interior was directed to proceed as near- ly" as practicable with con- struction of the live ColO- rado projects concurrently with the 'construction of the - Central Arizona Project, to the end that such projects shall be completed not later than the date of first dellv- ery of water from the Cen-. tral Arizona Project. 1bls was to be done pro- vided ihat an appropriate re- payment contract for each particlpating project shall have been executod as pro- vided in the Act before COn- struction shall start On that particular project. In Ill. Memorial It Is ex- plainM: ~Iover 20 years ot pianning 31111 p.ffort, millions of doUars in (ederal funds, and millions of dollars in state and local funds have beflIl dl:'vot(l(j to these pro- jects. "These projects, Indivi- dually and collectively, wl1l. pro~in.g . urg~ntly. -: needed ricultural water supplles, wl1l greatly assist in the control of damaging floods, wiJI greatly enhance outdoor recreational opportunities in this state and will further assist the de- velopm ent of lands for the production of food and fibre." Referring to the Dolores and Anim as - La Plata pro- jects and the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Indian Tribes, the Memorial con- tinued: If Two of these projects were designed to provide adequate water supplies to the two Ute Indian tribes residing In Southwestern Colorado, ~nd to thereby materially improve the welfare and economic circumstances of the people of those tribes. "These authorized pro- jects. Individually and col-' benefits to the people 01 the State of Colorado, "Funds have been recom- mended In the President's budget message to the Con- . gress to complete the ad- vance planning end to initiate construction of several of said projects, "The Dolores Project should be ready for cOnstruc- tion hefore lhe ene! of the tts. cal yea r and is a project of high priority." The Memorial concluded: "Therefore, be it resolved by the Senate of the Fiftieth General Assembly of the state of Colorado: that it is In the Interest of thp, people of the. Statft. (If Colorado that all ap-! propriate steps he taken to I fund the President's request for federal reclamation pro- jects in Colorado. and that, to such recommendations, by its Own 'write-in', construc- tion funds for the Dolores Project as recommended by the Colorado Water Conser- vation Board." Copies of the Memorial were sent to the President, Colorado Governor Richard Lamm, each Colorado mem- ber of Congresa, the exeou- tlve direetor of the Coloroclo Department of Natural Re- sources and the. Colorado Water Conservation Board,