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<br />Conclusions and Recommendations <br /> <br />This section of Colorado is semi-arid and is presently under- <br />going a general decline in population due to the undependable and <br />inadequate water supply (approximately 25% of optimum through existing <br />facilities over the past 25 years). The area has been designated a <br />depressed area under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of <br />1965. <br /> <br />Completion of the project would be of great economic value to <br />the area, including an increase of over 2 million dollars to the local <br />tax base. All irrigated crops would be utilized for livestock production, <br />which at the present time could be of significant national benefit. <br /> <br />The recreational benefits derived from local fisheries along the <br />streams and at Gould and Soap Park Reservoir would serve to take local <br />pressure away from the Curecanti National Recreation area and provide <br />additional facilities for the overflow from Curecanti and Black Canyon of <br />the Gunnison areas. <br /> <br />This project, like the Savery-Pot Hook, has been long delayed <br />because of procrastination on the part of various administrations. <br />Because of the long and unprecedented drouth in this particular area which <br />started in 1931, the Fruitland Mesa project was assigned the first prior- <br />ity by this board after the passage of the Colorado River Storage Project <br />Act in 1956. There is no logical explanation for the continued water <br />shortage in the area, but it nevertheless persists. The economic hardship <br />to the old-timers in the area has been severe. Despite the opposition of <br />the .Office of Management and Budget to irrigation projects, there is no <br />logical reason why this project should not be constructed at an early date. <br /> <br />Of the nine authorized reclamation projects in Colorado, this is <br />the only project for which a repayment contract has been executed. This <br />repayment contract was executed in 1969. Since that time a small con- <br />struction start was made on the replacement of the Gould siphon. Congress <br />appropriated the sum of $500,000 to initiate project construction this <br />year, but that money has been placed in budgetary reserve. It is rec- <br />ommended that the following course of action be adopted for the Fruitland <br />Mesa project: <br /> <br />1. <br />delegation be <br />for F.Y. 1974 <br />struction. <br /> <br />That the Governor and the members of Colorado's congressional <br />requested to support an appropriation in the sum of $500,000 <br />from budgetary reserve in order to initiate project con- <br /> <br />-4- <br />