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The basin is served by a good network of State and Federal highways running both north to south and east to west. Corrnnercial bus and trucking services are available to all cities, towns, and conununities. Rail services include the Denver and Rio Grande Western, the San Luis Central and the San Luis Valley Southern. Corrnnercial and private air services are available to the more populated centers. In many respects the socio-economic aspects of the basin are unique. There is a homogeneity "hich has been borne from the complexities that exist. There are complex land use problems which have evolved from custom, climatic conditions, topography, and soil characteristics. Over a long period of irrigated agriculture development complex water rights and water use problems have arisen "hich have been further complicated by the Rio Grande Compact "hich divides the "aters of the Rio Grande River bet"een Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. Ethnic groupings have created social, cultural and economic complexities and have had an adverse influence on the basin's labor and corrnnerce. Marketing of produce, manufactured goods, services and industrial output is complicated by the remoteness of the basin from trade centers. These complexities have resulted in an economic and social isolation of the basin. STATUS OF WATER AND RELATED LAND RESOURCES PROGRAMS . There are 755 operating irrigation systems in the basin serving 3,068 water users. The basin is covered almost entirely by the Rio Grande Water Conservation District "hich was created by the Colorado General Assembly for the conservation, use, and development of the water resource of the Rio Grande River and its Colorado tributaries. In addition there is the Conejos Water Conservancy District, organized to develop Platoro Dam, and the San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District, organized to develop Wagon Wheel Gap Dam. Six Soil Conservation Districts also cover almost the entire area of the basin. The Soil Conservation Districts assist individual fanners, ranchers, and organized groups in soil and water conservation and related resources development. The U. S. Bureau of Reclamation is active "ith several existing and proposed diversion, storage, irrigation, and reclamation projects. The U. S. Corps of Engineers is or has been involved "ith flood protection and channel improvement measures. The U. S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife and the Colorado Game, Fish and Parks Division are involved "ith fish and wildlife management and migratory "aterfo"l habitat improvement. The Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife manages two National Wildlife Refuges in the basin. All of the Rio Grande National Forest is located in the study area. The Upper Rio Grande Primitive and the La Garita Wilderness Areas are managed under the provisions of the Wilderness Act, Public Law 88-577 (1964). Other lands under National Forest Administra- tion are managed for the sustained-yield multiple use benefits of range, timber, recreation, 1mter and "Udlife. The Bureau of Land Management . - 4 -