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<br />N <br />.... <br /> <br />~" <br /> <br />-' <br /> <br />~;) <br /> <br />Indian Lands <br /> <br />When the ute Indian Reservation was opened to settlement in <br /> <br />1899, Indians were given allotments along La Plata River between <br /> <br />the reservation boundary near Fort Lewis and the mouth of Long Hollow. <br /> <br />~AS of May 1938, Indians still opened 15 allotments totaling 3,320 acres <br /> <br />of which 107 acres under the Rabbit Ditch were classified by the <br /> <br />Bureau of Reclamation as irrigated and an additional 1144 acres as <br /> <br />arable and irr1gable. The Indian Service is now contemplating asking <br /> <br />for decreed rights from La Plata River for these allotments. \Jhen <br /> <br />fully adjudicated such rights will probably have priority over all <br /> <br />other rights by virtue of the lands served being original parts of the <br /> <br />ute Indian Reservation. The Rabbit Ditch, by common consent, has been <br /> <br />provided 2 second feet of water to irrigate Indian lands without regard <br /> <br />to priority for many years, ani issuance of a decree to the irrigated <br /> <br />Indian lands it serves will not change the existing order.) <br /> <br />The project plan is based on ulitization of all stream flow to <br /> <br />the greatest practicable degree. The development of additional Indian <br /> <br />lands will then probably result in the elimination of irrigation on <br /> <br />about an equal area of white-owned lands. It will be highly desirable <br /> <br />that the plans of the Indian Service be formulated before the project <br /> <br />goes to construction in order to prevent extensive future readjustments. <br /> <br />There are no Indian allotments in La Plata Basin in New Mexico. <br /> <br />11 (a) <br />