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<br />) <br /> <br />~~--. <br /> <br />OO''':~r> <br />~!,... v ~ <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />~ffiRKS BY COM,aSSIONER OF RECLAMATION W. A. DEXHEIMER BEFORE THE ASSOCIATION OF <br />,~STERN STATE ENGINEERS AT !{ANSAS CITY, KANSAS, AUGUST 26, 1954 <br /> <br />For Release Upon Delivery Anticipated About 11:l5 A.M., C.S.T., AUGUST 26, 1954 <br /> <br />RECLAMATION IN \;ESTERN UNITED STATES <br /> <br />I was pleased to accept Mr. Smrha's invitation to meet with you today because <br /> <br />~here is probably no other group which understands as you do the importance and <br /> <br />:omplexity of water resources development. <br /> <br />Each of ,'eU realizes just \/hat a continued adequate supply of water means to <br /> <br />future growth and prosperity. Each of you is much more aware than the average <br /> <br />citizen cf the probleme which must be solved to assure that supply. <br /> <br />Thus we have a cammon understanding and speak a common language in a discussion <br /> <br />of the future of reclamation. Problems end approaches to their solution may vary <br /> <br />from State to State, but essentially we are all seeking a cammon goal--the maximum <br /> <br />utilization of our available weter. The Western States and the Federal Government <br /> <br />are vitally concerned with conservation and maximum beneficial use of water, our <br /> <br />nost critical natural resource, <br /> <br />If anyone entertains any doubt as to the necessity of a continuing prograM, he <br /> <br />should review a few statistics and look into the future aleng a projection of our <br /> <br />present rate of growth and standard of living. <br /> <br />The statistics indicate that without l;ater conservation, the West would be a <br /> <br />~elatively poor countrJ cousin of the rest of the United States. Take tbe 26,000,000 <br /> <br />>cres of irrigated land out of our economy and there ,~uld be little left for <br /> <br />settlement purposes between the Missouri RiveT and the West coast but some sparsely <br /> <br />settled rangeland and some lumbering and mining centers. <br /> <br />From the irrigated areas come a great outpouring of agricultural commodities <br /> <br />and, of equal importance, a flood of orders for automobiles, farm equipment, house- <br /> <br /> <br />hold goods, and other products. Such an exchange of products by an expanded pur- <br /> <br />chasing power is a keystone of our economy. <br />