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<br /> <br />UNITE ,STATES <br />DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR <br />BUREAU OF RECLAMATION <br />WASHINGTON. D.C. 20240 <br /> <br />.'L.V <br />TO, 737 <br /> <br />MAR 1 01966 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />.... <br /> <br />(\.e"'I'J ]:>6- <br />). 911 ~ :;- 3 "Ii <br /> <br />The Secretary <br /> <br />of the Interior <br /> <br />Sir: <br /> <br />This is my proposed report on the Dallas Creek Project, Colorado. <br />It is based on and includes the attached feasibility report of the <br />Regional Director, dated February 25, 1966, and its appended reports <br />of the National Park Service, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, <br />Corps of Engineers, Public Health Service, and Bureau of Mines. This <br />is one of the potential participating projects that were given priority <br />in respect to the eompletion of planning reports by the Colorado River <br />Storage Project Act of April 11, 1956 (70 Stat. 105). <br /> <br />The Dallas Creek Project is a proposed multipurpose water resource <br />development in Delta, Montrose, and Ouray Counties in west-eentral <br />Colorado. The project would develop the water of the Uncompahgre <br />River and tributaries for irrigation, munieipal, and industrial use. <br />It would. also provide flood control, recreation, and fishery benefits. <br />~evelopment of hydroelectric power as a project purpose was not found <br />t:o be feasible. <br /> <br />In the Dallas Creek Project irrigation service area, there is an urgent <br />need for additional and dependable irrigation supplies to improve and <br />stabilize the economy of the farmers and of related service industries. <br />At the present time the late-season water shortages on irrigated lands <br />cOIIIIII~nly result in crop failures. Dryland farming is practiced to a <br />limilled extent but results are uncertain. Large acreages of land once <br />cleared for dry farming at considerable expense are no longer farmed <br />because of frequent crop failures due primarily to insufficient rain- <br />fall. Decreases in grazing privileges on public lands in recent years <br />have adversely affected some livestock operations and increased the <br />need for more farm-grown feed. Many of the farmers have d.epressed <br />living st.andards because of limited agricultural production. <br /> <br />Additional municipar and industrial water is needed. to meet existing <br />and anticipated needs of local communities and to provide a safe and <br />con,enient supply for surrounding rural areas. The need for additional <br />water in the communities is accentuated. by the population growth <br />