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OD2'r1r: Director Clifford H. Stone of the Colorado Water Conservation Boord look an active part in these neqoliations. The people on the Western Slope were apprehen- sive that the project would conflict with their futwe development and many meetings were held at Colo- rado River towns, in Denver and in Washington. to agree 1.1pon arrangements that would protect their present and future uses. Congressman Edward T. Tayler was the leading Western Slope spokesman and as a result 01 the mutual efforts to develop a project bene!icial to both the Eastern and Western Slope, he and many other Western Colorado men became frIendly supporters of the project. Severol organizations interested in the protec. tion 01 natural conditions in the area were fearful that the project would detract from the scenic and recrea- tional values and considerable eJJort was required to show that the public benehts would more than offset any disadvantages. Many other perplexmg problems were pressed upon the association. One of the most difficult was how to set up an organization that could adequately represent the people of Northem Colorado. contract with the United States for construction 01 the project, guaran. tee the repayment cost and adminisler the irrigation part oj the venture. Many unique and difficult Ques- tions were Involved in planning a project that would lit the needs and conditions 01 such a self.developed and complicated area. The Association OfHcers and Bureau Officials spent many months in considera- tion 01 various ldoos and plans. It was believed that on account of the wide dil- ferenee in water supplies over the aroo. the water distribution plan should be elastic and voluntary on the part of each user. It was also felt that the water users should not have to pay the full cost of the project, bul lhat a\l the property owners should con- tribute because of the indirect benehts 01 a stabilized water supply. Alter many months of effort. all of lhe ideas were Incorporated In a Bill providing lor the organization of State W OIer Conservancy Dis- tricls. This Bill became law tn May, 1937, and was later upheld os to conslilutiona!ity by the State Supreme Court. The Act is lengthy, but in brief it provides lor :he organization of Conservancy Districts upon pehlions of a reqUired r.umber of property owners. These are governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the DistriC! Court. The Boord appoints officers, has powPr to acquire and hold poperty, appropriate waler, enter into contracts. levy taxes and cs~ess. ments, allot watN end generally. to admimster the bUSiness cf the District As a re!leclion of indirect benefits, the Boord may levy taxes on all real and personal property in the Dismct, r.ut not to exceed one-half mill dunn:] the construction perlod or one mill during the laler repayment period. The Act brther prOVides the ~~rocedure for ol!olling water to individuals. corporations and municipalities and for the collection of assessments br Its use. After the boundaries of the proposed District were laid out. petitions were circulated and presented to the District Court of Weld County. On September 28. 1937, District Judge aaude C. Coffin held the re- quired hearing and issued the decree establishing Norlhem Colorado Water Conservancy District. The men who had served as Directors 01 lhe Association were appointed Directors of the District. With the Conservancy District finally organized, the hrst major undertaking was the negotiation 01 0 Conlract With the United Slates lor construction of the project. Aller months 01 ellorl, the terms were agreed upon and the Contract submitted to on election of property owners. Again. by newspaper publicity and many meetings, the District endeavored 10 thoroughly ex- plain the proposal. About 8,000 votes were casl at the twenty.lour voting places with the result almost unanimous in favor of lhe ConlracT. In hief. the lengthy Contract provides for con- struction 01 the thirty.live features desiqnoo to consti. tute a proiect for diverSion cj an estimated annual 310,000 acre-feet from the Colorado River. The Dis. trict Is 10 repoy $25.000,000 in forty annual install- ments. beqinnlng after lhe project is completed, lor the irrigation benelits. The United States retains the power facllllies and revenue to defray the oolance of the construction cost. Under the terms of this Con- tract and the provisions of the Conservancy District Act, the District worked out a water distribution and repayment plan thaI will assure full and prompt re- payment ot construction. and 11 is hoped, satisfac. torily distribute the bene!its and Ihe costs among the people of the District. Assuming that the mill tax on all property will provide at least one-fourth 01 the annual repayment installment, the District is allOltinq the 310.000 acre- foot units al 0 yearly assessment 01 $1.50 per acre- foot. Over 211,000 acre-leet have already been contracted to municipalities, irrigation companies and mostly to individual form owners. It is planned to allot the remainder belore the project is completeod cnd the repoyment period begins. After the water has passed through the Bureau power plants and been stored in the foothills reservoirs, the District will administer the deliveries to the allollees, acting through the Stale Officials on the streams and the managemenl of the various irrigation systems. The delivery 01 water and collection of aSseflsments under the Allotment ContraCls will nol begin until the project is completed and the repoymer:t period I::-e. gins. This may be in 1954. In the mterim. the project is completed 10 such on extent lhal water can be delivered mto the Poudre and Big Thompson Rl':ers. Under the provisions o! the '.Interim Contrecf' the Bureau is making wo:er available to the District lor temporary rental to water users. Howe'ler, due to the abundant locol supplies in the 1951 season and so far in 1952. there hos ::.ot been much need or mmket for lhis water. Since lhe Repayment Centrad ......as executed in 1938. the District ann the Bureau have worked. together to complete :h(>o proiect so that It will be a credit to the Bureau as 'he .';'Jent of the Nat:on's taxpayers and 0 lasli!17 bene!:l 10 :he people of the District who by lheir !qxes {T.1d water ossessmen!s will repay their ~hcre of the COSI