Show douse Approves Dollar Billion ia- ia Colorado River ver Reclamation Bill A billion d o 11 a r l water wlter program for the water Colorado River Basin cleared the House of Representatives last week on a voice vote curry carry carrying ing with it approval for two important Utah reclamation projects In addition to the 58 million Dixie Project in southwestern Utah and the million Uin- Uin Uintah Uintah tah tho 1 guage which Rep Hep Laurence J Burton R Utah said will enable us to use our full entitle entitle- entitlement entitlement ment of Colorado Colorado River water FACES SENATE TEST The bill goes next to the Sen Sen- Senate ate which passed a different version last year This is the first time the Issue has passed the House House passage concluded 21 years of delay and debate of the program In addition to the two major Utah portions of the bill it con con- contains contains a planning directive for forthe forthe the million Ute the Indian Unit of which the Uintah Unit Is part The directive instructs the Bureau of Reclamation to complete feasibility studies by I 1974 moving the project ahead six years The Ute Indian Unit a term long development not scheduled for completion until after the year 2000 is sometimes some some- sometimes times referred to as the ulti- ulti ultimate ultimate mate phase of the Central Utah Project SEEKS FULL SHARE Regarding utah's full share of C Colorado River Valet Rep Burton said Utah is entitled to 23 per cent of the portion of the river allocated to the Upper Basin states stales amounting to about 17 million feet acre per year Ire He said Utah may get this full amount under a provision of the bill making water going to Mexico under treaty obliga- obliga obligations a national rather than a Colorado River Basin states ob- ob obligation obligation Mr Burton called the vote a great victory for Utah and for reclamation in the he West Vest The million Uintah Unit in Duchesne County will pro pro- provide provide vide irrigation for lands on the Uintah-Ouray Uintah Indian Reservation Reser- Reser Reservation and on private holdings Municipal and industrial water supplies will be made available to Roosevelt and recreation fish and wildlife benefits attach to it Additional water supplies would average about feet acre yearly Including acre feet acre feet for irrigation and 1000 feet acre of water for Roosevelt municipal and industrial indus indus- industrial trial use Sonic Some acre acre- feet would he used Ird I rd on nearly acres of Indian water right land A remaining acre of irrigation water would be available for use on non Indian water right lands TWO RESERVOIRS Two reservoirs are arc planned in inthe inthe the Uintah Unit a acre acre- acre acre- foot reservoir would he be built on the Uintah River within the Uin- Uin t Ouray lah-Ouray Reservation and a foot acre reservoir would be built on the White Whiterocks rocks River in Ashley National Forest Sen Wallace F Bennett Dennett R Utah called upon the Senate to accept as quickly as possible the House version of the Colo Colo- Colorado rado River legislation Like all compromises you do donot not get all you would hope to get However I feel the Lower Colorado River bill billas as approved ed cd is a much more ac- ac acceptable acceptable legislation version than the legis legis- legis lation that was before the Senate Sen- Sen Senate ate last year GREATEST DAY Rep Morris K K Udall D-Ariz D was jubilant calling the Ion occasIon Arizona's greatest greatest day since sta statehood lie He referred to the dollar million Central Ariz- Ariz Arizona Arizona ona Project feature of the bill A spokesman for California's I member 38 House delegation I termed the action as a most im milestone in western water history for 40 years The next logical step is to restore the Colorado River to Its once once assumed med robust health with a substantial augmentation of new water This is s some thing thing all seven basin states and the Republic of Mexico need If this great region is to enjoy continued growth and prosperity |