Show On Colorados Colorado's West East-West Slope Water Vater Controversy Over in our neighboring state to the cast east another episode Is unfolding In the long and bitter struggle over Colorado river water between the west and east slopes The fate of a major portion o othe of the flung far-flung controversial Upper Colorado River Water Storage I project in the foreseeable future could well hinge on its outcome In another attempt t to 0 obtain ta 1 municipal rights to preen reen Mountain Moun Moun- tain tale reservoir water from the Blue river in Western Colorado Moun-I Moun representatives of the he elt city and county of Denver have offered a six-point six proposal which may mayor or may not meet with the approval approve of their western slope cousins In effect the six-point six proposal is isa isa isla a reaffirmation of Senate Document 80 and an agreement that Green Mountain reservoir water shall belong to Western Colorado for agricultural Industrial and municipal uses But Dut theres there's one major catch In return the city and county of Denver is seeking to obtain jealously guarded reservoir sites which if obtained would permit her to divert precious western slope water around which the bitterly contested controversy has always revolved Western Colorado water leaders have long since agreed agreed- among themselves that that the city and county of Denver should be allowed to divert surplus waters for municipal use in keeping with long recognized water law that you cant can't deny a man a drink Unfortunately Denver's diversion plans have always been rather rathe closely woven with the states state's northern water conservancy district that feverishly wants to obtain a bigger share of Colorado river rive water for irrigation And the westerners are bitterly opposed Moreover Moreover Moreover More More- over this opposition is shared by other downstream interests print principally pally the state of California that has helped fan the flames o of Colorados Colorado's state intra controversy to give her more time to put any water from the silvery slivery Colorado to beneficial use useIn useIn usein In the lower basin That's another story But Dut the fact remains that the state of Col Colorado lado will play playa a major role in the final pattern of any major Colorado river water development development develop develop- ment bill that wins approval during the pr er nt congress For one thing Congressman Wayne Aspinall a Democrat from Palisade Colorado is chairman of the house interior and insular affairs subcommittee subcommittee sub sub- committee on irrigation and reclamation Consequently anything that isn't acceptable to his constituents at home isn't likely to receive receive re re- re- re substantial committee endorsement Furthermore he enjoys the distinction in Colorado river matters of being the only man in to both houses of congress that resides In III the upper basin where althe all al the water is produced It appears unlikely that a House of Representatives Representatives that's luke warm to the proposal In the first place would approve a d bill which he himself opposed Consequently the drama now being staged over Colorados Colorado's Green Mountain water will bear watching It will have a major effect In the 15 billion upper basin water storage program program-a a major piece of legislation in to the first session of the present congress t is hearting indeed to observe work under way on the ap- ap |