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. . The flood control benefits will be of great value to the riv2T valley below the reservoir. Studies have shown tIle annual benefits fram flood cc~trol t~ b~ in excess Qf~~Q~OJJ. This does not include t~e damage to t~e irrigatiorl systems caused by silt and drift and mov~m2n~ of sand a~d gravel, which exceeds an acditional $100,000 per year. The Uncompahgre River during the spring and early summer run-off carries a large bed load of silt, sand and gravel. This entails excessive ~ai~- tenance expense to all water users that divert from the river, in:luding the Uncompahgre Valley Project. The results of salinity studies show that salinity concentrations would be increased by 3.9 mg/l at Lake Mead due to depletion effects but there would be a net reduction of 1,000 tons in the salt load of the Uncom- pahgre River due to the Project. Both the Ridgway and Dallas Divide Reservoirs would provide sig- nificant recreational opportunities because of large mlnlmum pools and planned operational patterns that would require only moderate draw-do~n of the reservoirs during the prime summer recreation season. Extensive facilities specifically for recreation are planned at both reservoirs in accordance with recommendations of the Nation?l Park Service. In addition, the Project plan incorporates several measures for fisheries reco~~ended by the Fish and Wildlife Service. A dual-level outlet works will be provided at the Ridgway Dam to make possible the blending of warm upp~r-level ~ater and colder lower-level water for release to the down stream fishery. By- passes for fish will be made at diversion points on Cow Creek and the East and West Forks of Dallas Creek, and by-passes, supplemented by storage re- leases as necessary, will be made at Ridgway Reservoir on the Uncompahgre River. Easements to provide access for fishermen will be provided along the Uncompahgre River downstream from Ridgway Reservoir and along the upper stretches of the East and West Fork of Dallas Creek. The Project pla~ in- cludes construction of a fishing lake on the Uncompahgre River drainage, at a site still to be determined. Approximately 6,000 acres of land in the vicinity of the Ridgway Reservoir will be acquired and developed for inten- sive management as a wildlife resource area. The Project will not only provide needed employment for an econo- mically depressed area but it will also assure the economic future of an area now primarily agricultural but rapidly diversifying with increasing recreational and light industrial development. To date several million dollars have been appropriated and spent on the planning and steps towards construction of the Project. The Definite Plan Report of the Project is nearing approval. In 1972 and subsequently the funds appropriated by Congress for the Project were impounded by the executive branch. Section 5016 of the Colorado River Basin Project Act (Public Law 90-537) provided as follows: lrThe Secretary is directed to proceed as n.early a; pra.ctic- able with the construction of the Animas-La Plata, Dolcces, Dallas Creek, West Divide, and San Miguel participating Federal - 3 -