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Show ake Powell ceremonies note filling of lake mmissioner R. Keith Higginson of Interior Department's Water and er Resources Service Friday icted that the development of Lake ;ll "will yet bring us more gifts we are capable of corn-ending." corn-ending." remarks delivered at the monies noting the final filling of the : which stored 27 million acre-feet ater behind Glen Canyon Dam, iinson linked the history of Lake ell with its 19th century namesake, jrer John Wesley Powell, and d that Powell's vision of the future guide for those planning future r and power development, hat is key because it gives us a of the future. Those who would se all water resource development whatever their motive, I would e to come to Page and Glen Canyon see what has been accomplished." ge was established by the Federal f-rnment in connection with the s construction, ie ceremony marked completion of fig of the lake to 3.700 feet surface Mion above sea level, a task, that ijn in March 1963 after completion (he Water and Power Resources Service of Glen Canyon Dam. Sponsored by the Page, Ariz., Chamber of Commerce, Friday's gathering drew an array of national and regional leaders from government and included a number of retired officials of-ficials who had played a hand in the dam's and the lake's development. Higginson said that if the dam and powerplant were built today at today's costs, the bill would be more than $800 million, compared with the $260 million it cost during the construction period of 1956 to 1964. "I take some comfort in that fact in the seemingly endless battle to justify investments such as this when history has shown time and time again such projects far outstrip the benefits anticipated an-ticipated when those projects were , being planned." Commenting on the central purpose served by Glen Canyon, the Commissioner Com-missioner touched on irrigation, power and recreational benefits. "Storage in Lake Powell is a key in satisfying terms of the Colorado River Compact among the several states," he , said. "It also helos the United States meet its commitment to Mexico." He also noted that sufficient electrical elec-trical power is produced to take care of the needs of a city of 1.5 million population. As to recreation, Higginson noted that some 3 million visitors are expected ex-pected at the lake this summer and that about 75 million will visit recreation facilities connected with Water and Power's 330 dams and reservoirs throughout the 17 western states. |