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<br />. <br /> <br />J <br /> <br />,. <br /> <br />r. . <br /> <br />water. 'I'he Eastern Slooe is an ~tension of the Great Plains and <br /> <br />is charitably cal~ed a semi-arid area since it is the recipient of <br /> <br /> <br />average annual precipitation of less than 13 inches. Colorado has <br /> <br /> <br />met this p=blem by going to the expense of carrying substantial <br /> <br /> <br />amounts of water from West to East, utilizL~g the tremendous power <br /> <br />of gravitywhic:h causes water to flow from the high count--y to the <br />lower plains ~~ugh diVersion tunnels. Colorado has attempted to <br />protect its water supply by compacts wi~~ its neighbors providing' <br />for a division of the flow of the Colorado River between the several <br /> <br />states involved whereby Colorado's al~ocated portion of Colorado <br /> <br />River flow is reserved for the citizens of Colorado irrespective <br /> <br />of whe~~er they reside on the Western or Eastern Slope of t.'le Rocky <br /> <br />Mountains. 'I'his fundamental principle has been sustained in the <br /> <br /> <br />Supreme Co=t of Colorado. 'I'he al~ocation of the flow of t.'le Colorado <br /> <br /> <br />River by interstate compact has been ratified by t.~e Congress of <br /> <br />the Onited States. <br /> <br />In spite of the practical limitations on transmountain diversions, <br /> <br />a parochia~ attitude exists which consistently results in L~troduction <br />I <br /> <br />of irrelevant devices and arguments to preclude t.'l.e best use of <br />all Colorado's water for all its citizens. <br /> <br />'I'he Board views the en~argement of the Eagle's Nest Wilder.1ess <br /> <br /> <br />as another such device. AJ..m:)st without exception, it has been neces-. <br /> <br /> <br />sary for East Slope appropriators to e~'l.aust al~ judicial appeals <br /> <br />before having their app=priations sustained. 'I'ransmountain diversions <br /> <br />of waters are necessary to accommodate t.'l.e 87 percent of t.'l.e population <br /> <br /> <br />of Colorado which lives on the East Slope of ~'l.e Continental Divide. <br /> <br />00740 <br />