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STATEMENT OF LA PLATA WATER CONSERVANCY DIS'l'RICT, COLORADO BEFORE THE PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITl'EE ON APPROPRIATIONS Washington, D.C., Ma;Y 22, 1973 Ml' Chairman and Gentlemen of the Committee; my name is Victor A. Paulek. I am President of the La Plata Water Conservancy District in Colorado. We, together with the La Plata' Conservancy District of New Mexico, were organ- ized by our respective states to jointly operate 8Jld maintain the Animas- La Plata Project. This project was authorized by Congress as a part of the Colorado River Basin Project Act in September 1968. Advance pJ.a.nning studies were initi- ated in fiscal year 1971 and were scheduled for completion with a Definite Pl8Jl Report by the end of F. Y. 1975. However, the Executive Br8Jlch omitted advance pJ.anning funds for this project from its F.Y. 1974 Budget, thus terminating these studies as of JUne 30, 1973. The only funds available for the Animas-La Plata Project during F. Y. 1974 are earmarked for salinity control studies. We request that your Subcommittee restore Adv8Jlce Planning funds for the Animas-La Plata Project to the F.Y. 1974 Public Works Appropriation Bill so that the Environmental Statement and Detini te Plan Report can be completed on schedule. We understand from CongresSlD8Jl Frank E. Evans I statement that the Bureau of Reclamation has the capability to meaningful use $375,000. The completion of a Definite Plan Report will permit our Districts to pro- ceed with the execution of 'h;p~eht contracts and the allocation of project water, both of which are prerequisites to the initiation of construction. The Boards of Directors of our two Conservancy Districts are working closely with the staff of local Bureau of Reclamation office by providing "input" for the reformulation of the project plan. Current studies indicate that the reformulated plan will include: (1) the production of hydroelectric power, (2) 8Jl increase in water for municipal and industrial uses, (3) a decrease in water for full service irrigation, (4) a decrease in salt con- tribution to the Colorado River, (5) a substantial increase in r(!lcreation and fish 8Jld wildlife values, (6) a reduction in environmental impacts, (7) an underground water distribution system malting possible sprinkler methods of irrigation and (8) a solution to critical social and economic problems, that would otherwise result from the establishment of Indian water rights in Southwestern Colorado. All these revisions tend to make the project more nearly meet local needs and at the same time adhere to national priorities. :1 !1 The testimony by Messrs. Alexander, Burch and Wing expa.a:l.ned the potential plight of the community of M/'mcos IlIld how t.hat plight could be solved by the Animas-La Plata Project. 5