| OCR Text |
Show buildings important in the growth of our country such as those of Kua'ua where Goronado may have wintered in 1540-41, are in this river basin and may be in areas which would be flooded. National park area.-A portion of Big Bend National Park in Texas may be inundated if a dam is built by the International Boundary and Water Commission at a site being considered for the upper one of the three dams authorized under the 1944 Water Treaty with Mexico. Conclusions Acquisition of lands, at and in the vicinity of the upstream ends of reservoirs, for the storage or con- trol of sediment-laden waters should take cognizance of future depositions of sediments. The alternative is not to acquire this land initially, but to pay dam- ages when they occur. The probable effects of sediment deposits above proposed reservoir sites and abandonment of these buried lands on the economy of the locality should be considered and analyzed in the initial steps of planning projects. Protection of Indian lands and ceremonial grounds may properly be the controlling factor in decisions as to practicability of reservoir develop- ments in areas where such lands are located. Mineral resources are of increasing national con- cern, and their significance and value should be determined in considering reservoir locations. Where justified, minerals should be extracted before a reservoir is filled. Preservation of national parks and monuments and places of scenic and historical interest should be given proper consideration, as should matters involving a.gricultural lands in the over-all evalua- tion of potential reservoir projects. Important archaeological sites should be opened, mapped, and artifacts removed to a museum. 3. Considerations Involving Preservation and Prop- agation of Fish and Wildlife and Recreation The Problem The place of fish and wildlife and recreation in- terests in the control and use of water resources, and principles required in resolving conflicts. The Situation The Platoro Reservoir Project on the Conejos River in Colorado is being constructed to provide 320 supplemental water to the Conejos division of the San Luis Valley Project and for flood control. The stream has been well known and fished for many years. Its construction and storage of the water in it will frequently dry up many miles of the stream below the reservoir. This will damage its heretofore high value for fishing. Moreover, under the terms of the Rio Grande Compact, any reservoir constructed in Colorado in the basin after 1937 must have outlets to permit complete drainage of the reservoir if necessary to satisfy the rights of New Mexico and Texas to water. Under this condition, although the Platoro Reservoir would be a fairly good location for fishing if a permanent pool could be maintained, under adverse stream flow conditions it may be necessary to drain the reservoir completely, destroying the fish. Another example is the Carlsbad Project, an old established irrigation area on the Pecos River. The project suffered severe losses through deficient water supply during its early history. To provide supple- mental water, the Alamogordo Reservoir was con- structed in 1938. When a considerable amount of water was maintained in the reservoir, anglers throughout New Mexico fished in the reservoir. Recently the Pecos River runoff has been so low that practically all of the water captured by the reservoir has been released and utilized on the Carlsbad Proj- ect, thereby destroying the fishing resources of the reservoir. The Fish and Game Department of New Mexico and many local sportsmen have been seek- ing to establish a permanent pool in the reservoir to prevent destruction of the fish. However, the Carlsbad Project water users, having a right to the water and having contracted to repay the entire cost of the reservoir, insist that in time of need all of the water must be made available for agricultural production. At the upper end of Elephant Butte Reservoir in the San Marcial area, sediment deposits from the Rio Grande have given rise to lakes and marshes. These water areas have provided excellent fishing and a resting and feeding area for migratory birds, and have been much used for fishing and hunting. Recent plans for the Middle Rio Grande Project provide for canals through this area. This would drain the lakes and marsh areas and reduce the fish and wildlife habitat. Except for conflicts deriving from reservoir oper- ations, comprehensive use of water resources should result in substantial benefits to fish and wildlife, |
