WSP07875

• File Number: 8220.116.I
• Description: Fruitland Mesa Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Gunnison
• Water Division: 4
• Date: 1/1/1976
• Title: Comments re: Draft Environmental Statement
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: EIS

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! am President of the Gunnison County Farm Bureau and a
rancher on the Gunnison river between Gunnison and Almont. I
have often driven through this area a~d I know of their shortage
of irrigation water and know from my own experience the
importance of adequate and dependable water for a successful
farming ~dor ranching operation. I also have noticed a large
amount 6f what looks to me like good land that coula be irrigated,
some of which I understand would be irrigated by this project.
I would also like to point out that in my opinion the damage to
wildlife is being greatly overestimated. I have always seen more
deer near farming and ranching areas than in isolated areas, and
. believe that throughout this area deer find a large percentage of
their feed on irrigated land. Therefore 11-Iould q,uestionthe need
of the Game Departmentacq,uiring or controlling large amounts of
land for replacing lost wildlife habitat.
There seems to be a lot of concern eXPl;'essedtoday abou1; the
large numbers of young people leaving the. land. A project such
as.... Fruitland Mesa may well offer the incentive needee.to keep
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yoUng people .on the .land. Agricul tureon.. the '!Iestern Slope is' big.
business and as such proVides many communities with a steady income
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and livlihood which would otherwise be non-existent. .In light of this
fact it is only logical that one should ft be able to see the ec.onomic
benefits of the project. Steady full time employment is .far better
than seasonal income.There will however be many more benefits
derived other than economic. Congress has passed the law the funds
~ have been appropriated and therefore the project should.be
completed as soon as possible to avo.id further cost increases.

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