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9 C'J (,;i) "'~ ~ ,,7> ,:;> Wi th the State of Colorado, the Bureau plans to deve lop llead and San Luis Lakes into a recreation and wildlife area. Before San Luis Lake silted up and became foul slOe 11 ing and bracki sh in the late 1950' s, it was a very popular recreation area. The plans call for the delivery of enough water to stabllze a higher water level in the lakes. Water will be periodically pumped through the system so that the lakes will not stagnate. . There are other Project benefits which are not formally identified as pur- poses justifying the Project. These "spin off" benefits are mostly related to requirements of Federal laws. Extensive studies of the Closed Basin's ecology, archeology, and history have been done (see section III). These studies are required to identify possible Project effects to these resources and to develop mitigation plans. The results of these studies are available to the public. Scientists and interested local residents can use tllis information to learn about these unique and interesting aspects of the San Luis Valley. " Perhaps the most important of the "spin off" benefits are the enp,ineering, water table, and geological studies which are required for the Pruject to be designed properly. The results of these studies (section III) are also available to the public. Radosevich and Rutz' report, which was cited at the beginning of the section, concludes with some advice. The Valley's economic/water interest groups are counciled to negotiate with each other rather than hale each other before courts of law. The purpose of such negotiation would be to develop a Valley-wide system of water allocation which would be both fair and clearly understood. No restraint on indivi- dual constitutional rights to seek redress in the courts is intended. The point is, quite simply, that the Valley's present course of defining a system of water rights piecemeal, individual court case by court case, will have negative results. Defining the relationship of Valley water rights to each other in the courts will result in a huge body of individual rulings and decrees. Some rulings will probably be contradictory. Regardless of the outcor.le, legal fees \"il1 be enormous. It will not be easy to negotiate a fair and legally binding system outside of the courts. The work should be done by people whose vital economic interests are directly involved. The information the Bureau has collected should help, No one can be expected to make a decision which may directly affect his livelihood without some solid facts about what the results of that decision will be, Information has been collected by the Project on how water tables are related, what happens with different kinds of water- pumping operations, and on how those things affect vegetation. These data shouid help individuals make informed decisions. In the long run, the information provided by the Project may be a greater benefit than the water it is being built to salvage. The completed Project can be logically viewed as a closely watched gage on the terminal end of the whole northern Valley's ground water system. Like a measuring instrument, the Project will not directly affect the rest of the system. The Project's network of observation wells will show whether or not the northern Valley's water supplies are being used to the full potential allowed by nature, The Bureau should not and cannot take any direct action with that information. The Bureau will make that information available to local groups. They can use it and work together to plan a fair and secure long-term future for the San Luis Valley.