Mr. ERICKSON. That is correct. As to whether anything has been done since the House hearings, I am not clear, Senator Watkins. We did talk to the Texas officials about a different plan which would eliminate the objection, we thought, concerning the storage reservoirs on the Chama River. They refused to discuss the matter with us. Senator WATKINS. The authorization of the Navaho could not possibly affect it unless there were an authorization to complete this transmountain diversion? Mr. ERICKSON. That is right. Senator WATKINS. That is not proposed at this time? Mr. ERICKSON. That is right. Senator WATKINS. What New Mexico officials are asking for is that the construction of Navaho Dam be authorized at this time? Mr. ERICKSON. Yes, sir. Senator KUCHEL. What is not proposed, did you say? Senator WATKINS. There is no proposal now to admit the transmountain diversion in this authorization? Mr. ERICKSON. Only as a provisional authorization to see the plan is worked out as a single program. Senator WATKINS. There would not be any actual authorization now for construction? Mr. ERICKSON. No, sir. Senator ANDERSON. Is it not proper to say that the State desires to have feasibility reports on the Shiprock, on the South San Juan, and on the transmountain diversion, but the construction of any of these units would not be authorized until they have subsequently been submitted to the States again and approved by the Congress? Mr. ERICKSON. That would be our understanding. Senator WATKINS. Then the record will be clear on that. Senator ANDERSON. But the construction of Navaho Dam would not in any way affect the rights of Texas or the controversy we may have with Texas or affect the question which the Senator from California had raised as to exchange water. The dam does not involve any exchange water. It does not involve anything but regulation of that water. Mr. ERICKSON. That is right. It could not. Senator ANDERSON. We ought to be able to build that without interfering with anybody. Mr. ERICKSON. That is right. Conclusion: Authorization of the Colorado River storage plan with its participating projects, and the recognition of the New Mexico units together with units to be constructed in other States, will constitute a great step forward in the conservation of this most valuable resource. Construction of reclamation projects at best is a slow process. There is evidence of immediate need in New Mexico and of coming need in the whole Colorado River Basin for this entire project. The future security of New Mexico, the West, and the Nation will be strengthened by this project. We respectfully urge this committee to favorably consider our proposal, and we extend our thanks and appreciation for the privilege of appearing before this committee. (The letter from Gov. Edwin L. Mechem to Secretary Douglas McKay, referred to earlier, follows:) Hon. DOUGLAS MCKAY, Secretary of the Interior, Washington, D. C. STATE OF NEW MEXICO, MY DEAR SECRETARY MCKAY: Flowing through the northwest corner of the State of New Mexico is the San Juan River, a principal tributary of the Colorado River. This stream is one of the last and by far the largest substantial water resource of the State yet to be developed. New Mexico's rights in this river are defined by the terms of the Colorado River and upper Colorado River Basin compacts. The negotiation of the latter of these two compacts finally opened the way to proceed with the development of this vital resource. During past years, four major projects and several minor ones have been contemplated to make use of the available supply, and a great deal of preliminary investigation has been done on these projects by agencies of your Department. There are two main sources of water supply to be considered: (1) the main stem of the San Juan, rising in Colorado and entering New Mexico near the village of Rosa, N. Mex., and (2) the Animas River, also rising in Colorado in the vicinity of Silverton, flowing through Durango, Colo., and joining the San Juan River at the city of Farmington, N. Mex. Of immediate concern is the development of the main-stem supply. Three of the four major projects will derive their water supply from the main stem of the San Juan, above the town of Blanco, N. Mex., and will compete directly with each other for the common supply. This physical situation has created a problem which has troubled the State of New Mexico for many years. It is, of course, further complicated by the knotty problem of transmountain versus inbasin uses. Immediately upon ratification of the upper Colorado River compact, serious negotiations were started in an attempt to work out an agreeable solution. One of the most complicating factors was the dominant position of the Shiprock Indian project, and the as yet unknown status of the Indian rights. Midway in the progress of the negotiations, the Navaho Tribal Council asserted its active interest in the problem. Up to that point it had been assumed that the Navahos were fully represented by the Secretary through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Although it may have resulted in some unlooked for delay, the active participation of the tribal council has been a stimulating influence upon the negotiations and has been welcomed by the State of New Mexico. The selection of projects for further study became urgent when the Commissioner of Reclamation, upon the recommendation of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, recommended to the Secretary that the Shiprock Indian project be included for authorization with other participating projects of the Colorado River storage project. Because of this recommendation, the State of New Mexico felt it was necessary to request similar authorization for both the south San Juan and San Juan-Chama projects, and ask that the authorization on all 3 be limited, and no appropriations made for their construction until they could be coordinated and feasibility reports prepared on all 3. The other States of the upper Colorado River Basin support New Mexico in this stand. To date negotiations have failed to bring about complete agreement between all interested parties. Because of the possibility that legislation will be introduced during the present session of Congress, New Mexico has been obliged to make its own recommendation to you with respect to the feasibility studies it wishes to be made on these projects. This is consistent with the past policy of the Department of the Interior since it has been indicated through official channels on several occasions that the department expects the State to make the final selection of projects. I, therefore, respectfully request that you direct the proper agencies of the Department of the Interior to study and make feasibility reports on projects in New Mexico utilizing San Juan River water as follows: (1) A Shiprock project, which will include as a unit of such project the south San Juan project area. The better lands only should be considered for a subjugation within the initial development phases of the project. Any lands requiring special engineering consideration because of erosion or difficult drainage problems should not be considered until the better lands of the project are fully developed. The south San Juan unit should include both Indian and non-Indian lands and the Indian lands within the Navaho Reservation, which are of good quality and have good drainage, should be served in lieu of poorer lands under the gravity system of the Shiprock project. Pumping by means of direct connected turbines to serve the south San Juan unit is favored by the State of New Mexico. Electric pumping to lands immediately above the gravity system should not be considered in the initial phases of development unless it is definitely shown that there is excess water for that purpose and definite proof that such pumping is not only feasible but also desirable. Design of this project should be made on the basis of an ideal annual diversion requirement at the Navaho Dam of not more than 630,000 acre-feet of water. (2) A San Juan-Chama project to transport water from tributaries of the San Juan River in Colorado to the Rio Grande Basin in New Mexico by means of a transmountain diversion. This project should be investigated in accordance with the expressed policy of the State that such transmountain water shall be used primarily for domestic, municipal, and industrial supplies and for supplemental use on existing projects with deficient supplies and that preference in the irrigation of new lands shall be given to in-basin projects. The feasibility report for the San Juan-Chama project must show firm uses for the water diverted and a proposed plan of operation of the project approved by the State of New Mexico which will not interfere with delivery of appropriated or allocated waters within the Rio Grande or other stream basins. The report for this project should contain a suggested operational schedule to be approved by the Secretary of the Interior and the State of New Mexico, which will protect in-basin uses in their diversion requirement of not to exceed 630,000 acre-feet per year at Navaho Dam. Diversions of water by this project shall be made only for beneficial use, and shall be subject to the terms of the Colorado River compact, and the upper Colorado River compact. In accordance with the demonstrated needs for supplemental, municipal, and industrial supplies (including defense installation requirements), this project should be designed to divert an average of not more than 235,000 acre-feet of water per year. Colorado rights and water uses in the San Juan Basin in accordance with the terms of the compact must be fully protected in the operation of this project. Values used above have been derived from reports of the Interior San Juan Technical Committee, and are on the same basis as the data submitted in the March 7, 1952, report. The competition of water between the in-basin and transmountain projects necessitates closely coordinated operation. Neither project can assert a superior right as against the other without virtually destroying the other. Hence, it has been necessary to seek simultaneous authorization and an understanding that the projects will be so operated. It is recognized that the two projects may not be able to proceed simultaneously with construction, and every effort must be exerted to protect each from encroachment by the other. The Navaho Dam is included as an initial unit of the Colorado River storage project and its early authorization and construction is being sought. This dam is an integral part of the Shiprock project, but it can be constructed and operated as a regulatory reservoir and for the generation of a great deal of much needed hydroelectric power for many years before its full use as an irrigation reservoir is required. New Mexico desires that the planning of the above suggested projects shall in no way hinder or prevent the orderly development of the Hammond project. A review of the San Juan problem in New Mexico has been prepared by our State engineer's office. This review sets forth the history of the negotiations and investigations together with a more complete statement of the views and policy of the State. I am enclosing herewith a copy of that document. Additional copies will be made available for the use of your Department if required. Sincerely yours, E. L. MECHEM. Senator WATKINS. Thank you very much. Senator ANDERSON. May I say that I think the work of your office has been very helpful in bringing parts of our State together so we do have a unified presentation of this plan. Mr. ERICKSON. Thank you, Senator. Senator ANDERSON. Mr. Chairman, Senator Chavez has been tied up steadily in a meeting of the health, welfare appropriation group, and if I may I would like to read a statement which he has sent to the committee. Senator WATKINS. You may proceed. Senator ANDERSON (reading): STATEMENT OF HON. DENNIS CHAVEZ, UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO The subcommittee is today holding hearings on an idea for which we have waited at least 30 years-that is, since the Colorado River Compact of 1922. For more than 10 years, New Mexico has had one small project on the upper Colorado River Basin which could have been called up and authorized any time-what we call the Hammond project comprises about 3,700 acres to cost only $2,302,000. However, that project has never been called up because the State of New Mexico has awaited a comprehensive basin plan for the four upper basin States such as we have under consideration today. I cite this to show that it has been the New Mexico feeling all the way through that the four upper basin States-Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexicomove out as a single unit with a joint and beneficial use of the waters. New Mexico realizes the fact that this is one big plan. We in the Reclamation States learned long ago to map the available waters completely before beginning the building of anything, so that one project is parlayed against another and total beneficial consumptive use is achieved. I would not want the upper basin storage project to move out if Colorado were not ready, if Utah were not ready, or if Wyoming were not ready, but we are ready now and I hope the four States can march in unison to the floor of the Senate to ask what has been our right under the Colorado River compact. Since technical phases of the projects have been covered in examination of witnesses and will be presented in testimony by engineering authorities, and in order to save time, I shan't go into a recitation of the facts of benefits and costs. Senator Anderson has covered much of the ground. Senate bill 1555 would recognize the small share of the Colorado River waters which is held by New Mexico under terms of the Colorado River compact and upper Colorado River compact. This bill provides for the ultimate beneficial use and distribution of the waters within New Mexico. It envisions a badly needed irrigation project for the Navaho Indians, the little Hammond project, a larger South San Juan for non-Indian uses, the Pine River extension project, and a transmountain diversion to other needed areas within New Mexico. New Mexico's position has remained unchanged over the years. We propose to put to beneficial use for both Indian and non-Indian lands in the San Juan County what can be economically justified. By that I mean we will put on San Juan County land, through these proposed projects, the waters which the land can pay for. What is left will be exchanged to establish a supplemental supply for the Rio Grande Valley-I mean everything below the Willow Creek Dam site on the Chama on down to the New Mexico-Texas State line. Frankly, we expect to materially increase the water supply for the Chama and Rio Grande. I understand that one of the lower basin States may have questions about this four-State development program. She, or they, should get the answers, if they do not have them already. But you will excuse me if I cannot generate too much interest in this so-called prior use principle. The States, through regulatory agencies, have responsibilities to their residents and their resources. The erratic flow of the Colorado River was know in 1914, and the Colorado River compact clearly divided the river flow between the three lower basin States and the upper basin States. If, for some reason, more irrigation was allowed in the way of acres than was most certainly known to be the future limit, then the responsibility cannot be transferred ipso facto to the upper States. Each of the lower basin States knew her limits, just as we do in the upper basin, and she held a direct responsibility to plan her developments within the confines of those limits. I do not charge anyone in the lower basin with any conflicts, but I wish to make clear this sound principle upon which I argue here today. It is not a question of suffering. Do those whose acreage is taken out suffer more than those hungry who are denied? I do not know just why the President suddenly eliminated New Mexico completely from his legislative proposal. He surprised the Navahos just as much as he surprised the non-Indian enthusiasts. If, as it has been said, the Chief Executive eliminated New Mexico because there were some internal differences in New Mexico, and then most certainly he should have eliminated Echo Park. I have had more mail on this dam than on any one water subject in the last 6 months. We are not involved in any more of an internal quarrel than any other State. The Governor of New Mexico, a Republícan and resident of the lower Rio Grande Valley where some of the opposition started, strongly endorsed the original bill. The good people of San Juan County are here today to tell you they have no serious question about the program. The sole difference in New Maxico seems to be how the State is to hold the water in the transmountain diversion. It has to be held to regulate the flow, to avoid flooding, and to insure a more steady water supply. We have had these internal questions before and we have always resolved them. We shall resolve this one, too. So far as I know, New Mexico has the only Indian irrigation proposal in this bill. We are quite proud of this proposal because the Navaho is now entering a comercial development period of mining, timber, and agriculture which is remarkable, and this appears to be the great Indian nation of tomorrow. The bulk of the Navaho Reservation lies in Arizona, as does the capital of the Navaho Reservation, and it is probably that out of this Indian project there will be many Arizona-resident Indians who will benefit without Arizona providing any share of the Colorado waters to the New Mexico project. We will not quarrel about this, because we in New Mexico want this Indian 49500-54- -17 |