resulting in more millions of dollars being poured into Texas in thand flood relief. These conditions are recurring. In fact, the Nation weather scientists are predicting that Texas and the Southwest will a much more severe drought than the last one within the next 15 years in mit that it is good business to construct works which will prevent the recurring losses resulting from droughts and floods.

The projects herein supported will help alleviate these recurring c and add wealth producing facilities to the economy of the Nation. Again I wish to thank the committee for the privilege of presenting this ment on behalf of the Texas Water Conservation Association.

RECLAMATION PROJECTS, TEXAS

STATEMENT OF J. E. STURROCK, General Manager, Texas WATER CONSERVATE ASSOCIATION, AUSTIN, TEX., RE APPROPRIATIONS FOR BUREAU OF RECLAVAT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1961

;

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is J. E. Sturck. reside in Austin, Tex., and I am general manager of the Texas Water Conser tion Association, a statewide organization dedicated to the task of p the sound and orderly development, conservation, protection, and utilization the water resources of Texas for all beneficial purposes. The association repa sents all major classifications of water use including irrigation.

I am very pleased to again have the privilege of appearing before this mittee to testify on behalf of my organization in support of appropriations the Bureau of Reclamation for its investigations in Texas and for construct of the San Angelo project; the Mercedes and La Feria divisions of the low Rio Grande rehabilitation projects; and the El Paso County Water Impre ment District No. 1 rehabilitation and betterment project.

Since the McMillan Delta project on the Pecos River in New Mexico, incl ing the salinity alleviation program, will be of great benefit to the Pecos Ri Valley water users in Texas, I also appear in support of this project.

The Bureau's Texas investigations are largely concentrated in its Teras basi project investigation, which covers all of the State except the Texas portions the Red and Canadian River Basins. The investigation has been in progre since 1955 for the primary purpose of developing a comprehensive plan providing assistance under the Federal reclamation laws for solution of Tex water supply problems. The Bureau's report presenting such a plan original was scheduled for completion in fiscal year 1961. It has been necessary, ho ever, for the Bureau to reschedule completion of its report for fiscal year 196 a result of establishment of the U.S. Study Commission on the Neches, Trinit Brazos, Colorado, Guadalupe, San Antonio, Neuces, and San Jacinto River B sins and areas under Public Law 85-843, enacted in August 1958. The area cod ered by the Texas basins project includes the Texas portions of the Sabine an Rio Grande Basins in addition to the area of responsibility assigned to the Co

mission.

The Commission membership consists of five Federal members-representi the Federal Power Commission and the Department of Army, Commerce, terior, and Health, Education, and Welfare plus a representative from ea of the eight river basins and the Texas Board of Water Engineers, together w a non-Federal chairman. The Commission is charged with formulation of comprehensive and integrated plan for development of the land and water sources of the area for all purposes and preparation of a report thereon, whi is scheduled for completion at the end of fiscal year 1961. The Commiss includes adequate representation for all interests and agencies concerned w solution of Texas water problems. It therefore is exceptionally well qualif to coordinate and reconcile the diverse and sometimes divergent views of the interests and agencies.

To provide the coordination of effort required for effective accomplishme of its task, the Commission necessarily must rely heavily on the participati Federal agencies, the Texas Board of Water Engineers, and the various Stat constituted river authorities with planning responsibilities to provide essent technical data, plans, and findings in their specialized fields and area of sponsibility. Consequently, adequate financing of the programs of the concer Federal agencies is essential, if the work of the Study Commission is to be f effective. In addition, these agencies must be enabled to carry on needed pl

t

g activities for Texas areas not included in the Study Commission area and formulation of the more detailed plans that are required in seeking authoriza1 for specific developments.

ly association, which includes representation from all fields of water rerce development in Texas, strongly supports the programs of the Study nmission and the participating Federal agencies. Both individually and ectively, our membership will contribute everything it can to the success of se programs. One of the primary objectives of the Texas Water Conserva1 Association from its very inception has been formulation of a truly compresive and effective statewide plan for control and development of our State's ter resources in the public interest. We now have the necessary tools availe for achieving this objective in the various State and Federal agencies. All at is now needed is adequate financing for these agencies over the next few ars. Any delay in completion of a statewide plan due to lack of adequate ancing of investigations activities will be costly indeed. Any money that is ved by reductions in current planning funds will be much more than offset the economic losses our State and the Nation will incur through resulting lays in getting essential projects into construction. Many years are needed r planning, authorization, and construction of major water resource projects. is process must begin soon if we are to avoid economic losses in the 1970's due failure to solve our water problems. Early development of a generally acceptle statewide plan is an essential prerequisite to initiation of necessary detailed anning for many of the projects that will be needed by that time. This urgent need for expediting planning for development of Texas water sources is the basis for my association's support for the Bureau's Texas basins oject investigation. Water supply for irrigation and for municipal and inIstrial purposes is this agency's special field, and water supply is our State's o. 1 water problem. The results to date of the Bureau's Texas basins project vestigation have been provided to the Study Commission for its use and will ntribute greatly to speedy and effective completion of the Commission's task. he Bureau's program in turn will benefit greatly from the Commission's efforts. ompletion of the Commission's plan and report in fiscal year 1961 will provide 1 overall long-range planning framework for its area that will be acceptable to Il concerned interests and agencies. Within this framework, the Bureau will be ble to submit its recommendations for authorization of potential developments uitable for construction under the Federal reclamation laws much sooner than therwise would be possible. This in turn will expedite authorization and initiaion of construction of such developments and solution of our water supply roblems.

These objectives cannot be achieved, however, unless the Congress provides the Bureau with adequate funds for completion of the Texas basins project investiation in the shortest practicable time. I understand from previous testimony hat the Bureau's program, as originally submitted by the Secretary of the Inerior, called for appropriation of $658,000 for this investigation for fiscal year 1961 and that this amount was reduced to $458,000 in the President's budget. If not remedied, this $200,000 cut will have serious consequences, far out of proportion to the amount of money involved. A substantial reduction in the staff engaged in the investigation will be necessary. This will impair the Bureau's contribution to the program of the U.S. Study Commission and will seriously delay accomplishment of a number of key actions required for completion of the Texas basins project investigation on schedule. The work originally scheduled for fiscal years 1962 and 1963 will be seriously disrupted by these delays and because the additional personnel needed to accomplish that work could not be obtained in time. The overall result of the $200,000 reduction will be to delay for at least 1 year, and probably for a much longer period, completion of the Bureau's report. Finally, the reduction will not really be a saving and may actually increase the total cost of completing the investigation.

Under these circumstances, my association strongly urges that you restore the $200,000 reduction and approve an appropriation of $658,000 for the Texas basins project investigation for fiscal year 1961, so that the bureau will be able to complete its report as scheduled in fiscal year 1963.

On behalf of my association, I also urge that you approve the full amounts that have been budgeted for investigations in the Texas portion of the Red River Basin. These funds consist of $12,100 for the Goodland project, $50,300 for the Prairie Dog Town and Salt Forks of Red River project, and $6,700 for the Liberty

Bottoms project. The Goodland project involves irrigation of about 1500 acres in Texas and Oklahoma along the Red River below Denison Dam, with naissance report scheduled for completion in fiscal year 1961. The Liberty Bttoms project involves another area of about 12,000 acres along the Red Erz Texas below Denison Dam, with a feasibility report scheduled for completiza fiscal year 1961. The investigation of the Prairie Dog Town and Salt Fre Red River project is a reconnaissance study initiated in fiscal year !*: evaluate potentialities for developing new surface water supplies in the 7 portions of the drainage areas of these streams. The reconnaissance pra scheduled for completion in fiscal year 1962.

On behalf of my association, I also urge that the committee appre funds budgeted for construction of Bureau projects in Texas, consisting { §. million for the San Angelo project, $2,500,000 for the Mercedes division Rio Grande rehabilitation project, and $500,000 for the La Feria divisia, low Rio Grande rehabilitation project. These projects all have the full and thusiastic support of the local interests involved and will contribute substant ly to the economy of the portions of the State which they will serve. The S Angelo project will assure the city of San Angelo of the additional water su ply which it needs for future growth and will provide a high degree of pr tection to the city against the ever-present threat of flooding from the Sot Concho River. At the same time, the project will provide for development 10,000 acres of new irrigation, the benefits of which will accrue not only to farmers directly involved but also to the residents of San Angelo and othe nearby communities. In recognition of the benefits that its residents will ceive from this irrigation, the city has agreed to assist in the development such irrigation by assuming the responsibility for repaying to the United State the portion of the project costs allocated to irrigation that exceed the irrigator repayment ability.

The Mercedes and Le Feria divisions, will provide urgently needed improv ment and rehabilitation of two important irrigation districts in the fertile ba water-short lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The dependable water supp which is available to this area from the Rio Grande, as regulated by Faler Reservoir, is far from sufficient to meet growing municipal and industrial wate requirements of the area and provide an adequate water supply for lands note under irrigation. Under these circumstances, it is essential that the availab supply be used as efficiently as possible. Construction of the improvements a thorized for the Mercedes and La Feria divisions will permit the Mercedes and La Feria districts to make the most efficient possible use of their portions of thị available supply.

The El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 rehabilitation and betterment project is truly a water conservation project in an area with ar average annual rainfall of about 9 inches and where the conservation of wate is a must.

This is a 5-year, $2.3 million program and involves :

1. Cleaning of 220 miles of drainage ditches and canals.

2. Replacement and repair of structures in the canal and lateral syster such as checks, bridges, flumes, and culverts.

3. Replacement and repair of concrete lining, straightening of laterals, and repair of plant equipment and buildings.

The whole program will be paid for by the water users in the distric The budget carries $575,000 for this project for fiscal year 1961 and we ur the committee's approval of this amount.

The McMillan Delta project on the Pecos River in New Mexico, includit the salinity alleviation program, is most important to water users in the Pec River Valley in Texas. The Red Bluff Reservoir, located just below the Texas New Mexico State line, is the source of water supply for irrigation in the Pe area and the salt cedar along the reaches of the Pecos River in New Mexic are robbing the irrigation farmers of the Pecos Valley in Texas of badly neede water. We urge sufficient funds be made available to continue the constructio of the project and to provide for the continued cooperative work with the Peco River Compact Commission in the salinity alleviation program.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee for the privile of presenting this statement on behalf of the Texas Water Conservation A sociation.

་ ལ

CURECANTI PROJECT, COLO.

(NOTE: The following statement was supplied in connection with stimony on p. 973:)

STATEMENT OF DAN H. HUGHES

My name is Dan H. Hughes, my address Montrose County, Colo. I live in e Uncompahgre Valley, which is part of the Gunnison Basin. For 12 years prior to December 1, 1959, I served as district judge of the venth Judicial District of Colorado, which embraces within it the entire Gunnin Basin. I have resided in the Uncompahgre Valley since 1904. I worked the Gunnison tunnel's first construction period in 1905. I started the practice law in 1911 and I have the privilege of now representing all of the people western Colorado which is directly affected by this Curecanti project. I pear here, also, as a member of the board of directors of the Colorado River ater Conservation District, which encompasses within its boundaries the eater portion of western Colorado and approximately one-fourth of the entire ea of the State. I am Chairman of the National Advisory Council for the ureau of Land Management, Department of Interior.

I appear before this committee today to urge upon you the necessity for the propriation by the Congress of funds for commencement of construction the Curecanti project and to give you the reasons why I do so. Let me say st that this project is one in connection with which there is no division of inion in Colorado; as you have been advised by our Governor and by Conessman Aspinall of the Fourth Congressional District, the entire State of lorado is solidly supporting the Curecanti project.

I now want to discuss this subject from a standpoint of the Gunnison Basin self. The Gunnison River, of which the Uncompahgre is one of the principal butaries, is a tributary of the Colorado River. Discussion of the desirability the Curecanti project as a part of the Colorado River storage project itself s continued over many years. Since it became apparent that this project ould be included as an essential unit of the overall storage project, local tities have been organized within the Gunnison Basin under the laws of the ate of Colorado permitting such organization for the purpose, not alone of deavoring to bring about the actual construction of the Curecanti dams but, oking further into the future, of integrating and coordinating the use of the ater of the Gunnison River and its tributaries so that it would serve its full rpose of providing for in-basin development by consumptive use of water, cluding irrigation and municipal, and the functions which the reservoirs ill perform as an essential unit of the Colorado River storage project. These tities are actively engaged, at this time, in furthering this general program that when the Curecanti project becomes a reality, those within the Gunnison asin will be prepared to utilize the water made available to the greatest ssible extent.

It should be borne in mind that approximately 72 percent of the water that Esses Lee's Ferry on its way to the lower basin and which was apportioned der the Colorado River compact, originates in western Colorado; by far the eater portion of that 72 percent finds its origin within the boundaries of e district I represent.

There are four holdover storage units authorized for construction under the orage Project Act, Public Law 485. Only one is located in the State of olorado, and that is the Curecanti project. The other three are in the procs of construction. In our opinion, the Curecanti unit is as essential as any the other three. We view the Curecanti unit as a multiple-use reservoir. Approximately 38 percent of the entire area of Colorado is still owned by the ederal Government; a big percentage of this land is on the western slope of olorado. I would say that Federal land comprises a minimum of 70 percent the western slope area. We have one county, Hinsdale, where the latest gures I have seen show that approximately 95 percent of the entire land area federally owned. It requires no argument to demonstrate that our governental agencies located on the western slope, if they are to receive normal xes for such purposes as school districts, road construction and maintenance, ad county government must have an extremely large tax levy to raise sufficient oneys because of this Federal ownership of lands. At one time, a school dis

trict located at Norwood, Colo., had a 7-percent levy on all taxable my, which was not sufficient to meet their expenses.

We

There are large areas of uncultivated lands in the Gunnison Valley Uncompahgre Valley. It is practical to irrigate these lands if the warn available. At present, the lands which are irrigated take full streamfat ing the irrigation season from approximately July 10 on.

the

When the Curecanti Reservoir is constructed, the waters stored durin nonirrigation season will be released for hydroelectric purposes thro entire year and will be sufficient to satisfy the irrigation needs below the voir. With the construction of the reservoir and the use of the stored w serve the present decrees below the reservoir, there should be ampe available to put into cultivation areas for which water is not now availa which lie above the Curecanti Reservoir.

Local interests are now and for several years past have been moving the as rapidly as possible through forming water conservancy districts, surve sites for small reservoirs and filing upon the same, preparing for cas distribution of water therefrom and obtaining an agreement with the lo landowners for the use of this water and the payment of charges which be entailed thereby.

With this additional acreage, there would be material relief from the ex sive high tax levy now existing. We feel that if the Federal Government es tinues to hold title to the land, it should take into consideration the burd cast upon the local people and the governmental agencies by virtue of the that such large land areas are not taxable in any matter.

It is mainly from this basis that we view Curecanti Reservoir as a multip use unit. In addition to any lands which could be brought in, water righ below the reservoir would be firm, water would be available not only for in gation, but for municipal and country domestic use.

The reservoir will serve a very needed use for flood control. During t spring runoff period, the Gunnison River in its downstream reaches becomes raging torrent and in its surge, annually causes excessive and distressing dan age to both farm and urban areas. Construction of this project will elimina this damage.

There has been a great deal of publicity in nationally distributed periodical to the effect that the construction of the Curecanti Reservoirs will have an a verse effect on fishing, wildlife, and other recreational values. We consider thi to be a calculated misrepresentation of facts and known to be such. Those of u who actually reside in the area directly affected by the reservoirs and who know what these values are, more than any other people, are convinced that thi project will increase the economy in this area from the standpoint of the fishing wildlife, and recreational values. The National Park Service and the Fores Service reports both predict that the reservoirs will increase the recreations values. In this connection, see House Document No. 201, 86th Congress, 1s session, publication date 1960, containing "Supplemental Report on Curecant Storage Unit," pages 51 et seq., being a report by the National Park Service i connection with Curecanti Unit and its benefits wherein it is stated, “It is est mated that approximately 500,000 man-days of general recreational use annual can be attributed to the Curecanti unit reservoir. *** These 500,000 visita days are in addition to estimated present and future visitations to the area wit out the project."

Appended hereto is a letter by A. Allen Brown, president of the Colora River Water Conservation District, on that subject, and a letter to which Brown refers; and your attention is invited to these communications.

In conclusion, may be respectfully submit that this is truly a multiple-purp project. This multiple purpose being power, recreation, industrial, irrigation and flood control.

THE COLORADO RIVER WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT,
Glenwood Springs, Colo., March 30, 1960.

In re Curecanti Reservoir, Colo.

To the Honorable Members of the U.S. Senate and to the Honorable Members the House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.

GENTLEMEN: On behalf of the Colorado River Water Conservation District. statutory organization comprising 131⁄2 counties in the northwest one-fourth the State of Colorado, I am enclosing herewith a letter prepared by the Honorab