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Show The Waters Of The Colorado Since the return of the delegation delega-tion which traveled to Washington Washing-ton for discussions with Secretary Secre-tary of the Interior Krug regarding regard-ing the Central Utah project, reports have been so optimistic as to convince Utahns thati naught remains in the projects way. Actually the Central Utah project conferences in Washington Washing-ton assured nothing and no a-amount a-amount of sugar coated propaganda propa-ganda can establish that assurance. assur-ance. Nor does the forthcoming visit to Utah of Secretary King indicate indi-cate that the grandiose reclamation reclama-tion plan is a sure thing. True, the Secretary seeks first hand information. And the knowledge he acquires may increase the prestige of the project. But the project itself faces an uphill rugged rug-ged road before its construction is assured. For some unknown reason the initial step in the development of the waters of the Colorado river, of which the Central Utah undertaking is a part, has not been taken so far as the upper basin states are concerned. For not one drop of water that flows into and down the Colorado has been allocated for use in Utah, Colorado, Wyoming or New Mexico. Yet the Colorado River Compact has been in existence for almost thirty years. Even in the face of this delinquency delin-quency there's talk, talk from high sources about a congressional congression-al bill asking the construction of the Central Utah project. Too many pertinent facts are lacking to make this move timely. And important among these facts is the question of the equitable allocation al-location of the Colorado's water. Reports indicate that Secretary Secre-tary of the Interior Krug expressed expres-sed actual suprise to Utah's delegation del-egation when he learned that no one knew how much water Utah had been alloted from the Colorado Colo-rado river. Nevertheless plans for the Central Utah project are going: ahead while Utahns are being pumped full of optimistic news Here then is the first obstacle in the way of Utah's prime reclamation rec-lamation project, and it isn't going go-ing to be an easy snag to cut. There'll be disagreements requiring re-quiring time to settle, but cer-: tainly the Interior department will not be moved to recommend the appropriation of $300,000,-000 $300,000,-000 for the development of a project concerning four states when those four states have not decided what water belongs to whom. Once Utah, Colorado, Wyoming Wyom-ing and New Mexico agree to an equitable distribution of the flow of the Colorado they will have established their right, collectively col-lectively or individually, to UBe that water for development purposes. pur-poses. But until they do plans, surveys and discussions are of little value. The birth and growth of Central Utah hinges first upon the legal allocation of the Colorado's flow. There are other factors to be considered in the Central Utah project discussions, factors that can make or break such an un dertaking while the plans are still being formulated. And foremost fore-most among these is the job of selling the United States Congress Cong-ress on the Centeral Utah idea. The voting power of Congress is east of the Mississippi, and east of the "Father of Waters" the reclaiming of arid lands through the utilization of natural water resources is unknown. It follows, therefore, that in the Central Utah plans there must be inculd-ed inculd-ed a scheme of superb salesman ship. If history repeats itself, and it very often does, eastern Congressman Con-gressman are not going to accept, ac-cept, with open arms, any proposal pro-posal as sumptuous as the Central Cen-tral Utah project. Westerners are aware of the need for water development, for westerners are dependent upon it. But east of the Mississippi the land has long since been reclaimed and the rains provide the rest. Congress and the administration administra-tion have never sought control measures over rain, but when it comes to an expenditure of $300,000,000 designed to make ues of the scarce water in two or three western states then governmental govern-mental control is going to be felt. The sunshine of the Boulder and Grand Coulee days is being obliterated by clouds of red ink welling up from governmental budget books. No more will rec lamation projects be approved to provide work they will be accepted ac-cepted favorably only as they can stand on 'their own merits, based on actual figures, proven facts and pre-determined needs. Thus it is with the Central Utah project; its need has been determined. But this alone does not assure it; for the powers that be are going to ask questions and the answers to those questions ques-tions will be based solely upon the allocation of the waters of the Colorado to the four upper basin states plus readily available avail-able and accurate figures convincing con-vincing enough to sell Congress on the feasibility of Central Utah. Optimistic talk is not sufficient. |