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Show HEP. LAURENCE J. BURTON The new commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation is Ellis Armstrong, a Utahn and a personal per-sonal friend of mine. I can assure as-sure you that a better appointment appoint-ment for this post could not have been made. I know of no one who has had such p. wide variety of experience in administration, admin-istration, engineering, and reclamation. rec-lamation. His administratibe engineering experience has extended ex-tended over 33 years, and has included 20 years with the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation. We are indeed lucky to have such an eminently well-qualified man as Ellis Armstrong take on this most important work. The Bureau of Reclamation is involved with the conservation, conserva-tion, development, and use of our water resources in states west of the 100 degree meridian merid-ian this includes 17 western west-ern states. At this time comprehensive com-prehensive river basin studies are being made to determine the total potential of develpo-ment develpo-ment in the western part of the country. Ellis feels that there is a need for similar studies to be made in the East so that the water resources of the entire en-tire country can be properly evaluated. The urgency, the necessity, and the importance of the work Ellis is doing are all too dramatically dra-matically seen when one is told how perilous our water supoly is. The Colorado River's present water resource end is actually in sight, in the all too neor future. It is the job, then, of the Bureau of Reclamation to see that there is not a parching of the land that would occur if our water resources were left unchecked. Rivers must be tamed, reservoirs constructed, pollutionless hydropower plants built, and recreation facilities provided so that the desert indeed in-deed shall "blossom as the rose". Ellis says that it is usual for a project of the Bureau to take between 20 and 30 years from the beginning of the planning plan-ning stage to the end of the construction. During this period, per-iod, studies must be made to determine the effect the project pro-ject will have on the people, land, and water involved. When for instance, a project is conceived con-ceived involving the Colorado River, the Bureau of Reclamation Reclama-tion must not only discuss the project with the states involved, invol-ved, but also must ask the State Department to discuss the proposed plans with the Mexican government. Development of our water resources, particularly in the West, will open up new areas for urban development enabling western population growth. Utah, according to Ellis, is one of the Bureau's major concerns con-cerns at this time. The Bureau is working with the state to develop on effective water plan, for, in Utah, we will be getting get-ting close to the bottom of the barrel in 15 to 20 years. He is working with Wyoming and Idaho, as well as Utah, on a plan for a Bear River project. Obviously, Mr. Armstrong will be working extremely hard in his new position, but the prospect of the tasks he has ahead do not frighten him. On the contrary, really; commenting com-menting about them, he said, "It's a challenging and exciting excit-ing job, and very important to the future of the West. It is a great opportunity to be of service to the country and the West." Our country is indeed fortunate for-tunate to have such a man as Ellis Armstrong in this vital position. |