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Show Corcp. News Filo iox 6310 Lincoln, Neb. 60506 Tuesday negotiating session brought sides closer together on Mill Creek Water Project Stockholders of Moab Irrigation Company met Tuesday night in the Erst of two meetings aimed at attempting to reach an agreement with the Grand County Water Conservancy District. And although it appeared at first that such an agreement would not be reached, which would clear the way for a start of construction of the Mill Creek Project, by midnight most of the differences between the two boards had been ironed out, and directors said they were ready to recommend that shareholders approve ap-prove the pact on Wednesday night. Moab Irrigation Company president, presi-dent, Delbert Oliver opened the Tuesday night meeting by welcoming welcom-ing shareholders out to hear details of the proposed agreement, and then surprised directors of the Convervancy District Board by announcing that his board had met the previous evening and unanimously unani-mously rejected the latest draft of the proposed document. Instead, he said, they were presenting their own agreement for discussion. Involved in that agreement was most of the material which has been contained in numerous previous drafts, but included were a number of terms which, according to representatives repre-sentatives of the Water Conservancy Conserv-ancy District Board, would make the Mill Creek Project unfeasible. Specifically, the document called for water quality standards that the District felt would be impossible to meet from wells and the Colorado River, should water from those sources be needed to supplement water from Mill Creek to satisfy a 4,600 acre foot annual guarantee to Moab Irrigation Company. Also unacceptable to the District was the Company stipulation that water from the North Fork of Mill Creek be subtracted from the 4,600 commitment. com-mitment. A further clause would have required that the Water Conservancy District pay $2 per acre foot for water diverted through Sheley Tunnel into a proposed reservoir all year-round, rather than during the irrigation season. Previous drafts had called for no charge on winter waters diverted into the reservoir, since they normally norm-ally flow into the Colorado River unused. Shareholders instructed their directors dir-ectors to go into immediate negotiations negotia-tions with the Directors of the Water Conservancy District in an attempt to reconcile the differences. differ-ences. And by midnight, it appeared appear-ed that the differences had been worked out. Company President Oliver stated "we gave on some points, and they gave on some," indicating that the members of his board present at the conclusion ot the meeting had voted to recommend recom-mend approval of the agreement to shareholders Wednesday night. On the water quality issue, directors of both boards agreed to new language which would specify that water supplied from wells and the river be of quality to be suitable for irrigation of crops, including orchards, commonly grown in the Moab area. Disputes as to water quality will be submitted to Utah State University for arbitration, and the District agreed to assume liability for any crop damage that could be proven as being due to sub-standard water. Directors of the Irrigation Co., (Continued on Pg. A2) ! Water agreement ... j (Continued From Pg. Al) conceded that water from the North Fork of Mill Creek be included in the 4600 acre foot annual allotment I and in return, Directors of the I Conservancy District agreed to pay I for all water diverted through Sheley Tunnel on a year-round ! basis. Attorneys for both boards worked with the negotiating team until midnight Tuesday, and promised that a reworked agreement, based on the negotiating session, would I be ready for presentation Wed. I I night. I f In the event shareholders ap- ' 'J prove the agreement Wednesday, I V the last remaining block prior to the start of construction will have been j removed. j |