The Eighth Annual report of the Upper Colorado River Comission to the Presidentof the United States and the Governors of the Upper Colorado River Basin States

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water supply would be increased by diversions from the Ward and Surface Creeks through the potential six-mile Tongue Creek Feeder Canal. The area receiving water from the reservoir would be enlarged through construction of the Eckert Pumping Plant and Pump Canal and enlargement and extension of the Circle Ditch. The additional reservoir water would largely replace water now used from other sources including natural flows of Surface Creek and the storage water from existing reservoirs on Grand Mesa. The replaced water would be transferred under exchange agreements to higher lands in the vicinity of Cedaredge, Colorado. The water supply would be sufficient to supplement present inadequate supplies on 2,000 acres of land and to provide a full supply for 1,850 acres. A preliminary draft of the feasibility report was completed in March, 1953 and sent to the State of Colorado for informal comment. Some concern has arisen as to whether the proposed water exchanges can be worked out and there is some question as to whether the project should go ahead of the proposed Grand Mesa Project. Investigations have been suspended pending crystal-ization of the State of Colorado's views and recommendations. NEW MEXICO Public Law 485 grants priority for investigations leading to planning reports for two New Mexico projects. It is the policy of the State of New Mexico that investigations and construction of the two projects should proceed concurrently. a. Navafo Indian Irrigation Project The Navajo Irrigation Project will be located in northwestern New Mexico on the south side of the San Juan River in the Farmington-Shiprock area. The first part of this project to be developed will be the Shiprock division, which will provide ,a total of 1,100 irrigated farm units upon approximately 115,000 acres of land, to support an estimated population of 20,000 Indian people. Water for the irrigation of these lands will come from the San Juan River and will be a part of the water of the Colorado River System allocated to the State of New Mexico under the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact. Additional surveys, investigations and studies are needed to develop the most economical plan of development. -54-