Show Groups to meet Duchesne County nearing decision on wafer conservancy district proposition Water users in Duchesne County took another important step forward last Friday evening in deciding how and when the county would join the proposed Seven-County Conservancy District being considered as a part of the Central Utah THE YEAR AND half-old county conservancy district fact finding committee met In a special meeting at the Moon Lake Water Users conference room in Roosevelt where they discussed the many phases and ramifications of the project and where the benefits lie in be- coming a member of the proposed larger Aiding in the discussion and offering suggestions to the committee was Edward Salt Lake who lias been retained by irrigation companies in the county for several and who recently met with officials of Bureau of Reclamation to discuss some of the aspects of the CHAIRMAN LEO of the who presided at the Friday made a few observations relating to the activity of the seven-county committee of which he is a and introduced Skeen who reported on the meeting he recently had had with Palmer project director and Stewart council for the Bureau of In offering his report Skeen made the following statements which he felt were of significance to the over-all Central Utah now and as the million water diversion program is is my firm and I feel that the BOR has pretty much the same that a common understanding that all Indian water rights on the Uintah-Ouray Indian Reservation are ahead of any non-Indian rights is based more on assumption than on actual my many years as a water I have had reason to come in contact with the Indian water situation and find it very difficult to bind Indians to any even though those made in the past have been done with utmost faith that an agreement would be History proves that the courts have found agreements not valid unless they are made by And be sure this is not a reflection on officials of the Bureau of Indian I am acted in pure faith they were doing that which was consistent and would suggest that very-thing possible be done by Du- chesne County and the seven-county committee to get any agreement between the Central Utah Project and BIA set by decree before too much progress is made in a start on the tremendous THE SECOND ITEM Skeen discussed briefly was the 4 feet of the Duchesne River suggested during a recent study made by a special committee of the Duchesne River again I feel that the feet proposal is another and a definite and positive should be made on the Duchesne as well as other river systems that will be included in the CUP before the See Water page 7 Water f continued from page county is committed to joining the larger Skeen said to the ANOTHER IDEA advanced by which he indicated he had pointed out to the BOR and which re said Duchesne should hold out for as a part of the CUP before the project begins was that all feeder canals and those carrying project water be lined to a similar standard as those to be built on the Wasatch Front when water from Duchesne County is moved into that area for the various uses DeLong and McMaster indicated at first that the only way this could be done was for users of project water in this area pay the if canal lining was I am of the opinion that this is an area you people insist on having included in the initial project before it is started and before you join the larger Skeen advised the In concluding his remarks and report to the committee Skeen made this final would advise Duchesne County to plan a consistent and fair set of proposals that would give you people the security for the present arid future you are justly entitled and then when such a decision is ask the BOR and others involved in the CUP to meet with you and hear what your decisions After it will require your water and unqualified support to make the Central Utah Project become a real and vital thing for the lie THE WAS adjourned after the group agreed to complete the various group meetings previously proposed to study the issues and come up with suggestions that should be included in final proposals to the These meetings will be held the coming and the suggestions brought to the directors of the Duchesne County Water Users who in turn will present them to the conservancy study committee which is charged with presenting the final proposal to the bureau and state ATTENDING the committee meeting Friday in addition to Haueter and Skeen were Charles Cliff J. Louie James Bacon and Leland M.- Wanless Leo John and Cliff Ray Wilmer Murray and Earl J. Bruce and A. Hale of It is hoped the final meeting of the conservancy committee can be held in the next couple of so that a final decision can be presented by Hauter Other counties in the larger district picture are Salt Utah and |