[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 56 (Thursday, May 7, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E789]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SOHTHEASTERN COLORADO WATER CONSERVANCY 
                                DISTRICT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB SCHAFFER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 7, 1998

  Mr. SCHAFFER of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
40th Anniversary of the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy 
District and to share with you a brief history of water development in 
Colorado's Arkansas River Valley.
  In 1859, discovery of gold in Colorado brought many settlers to the 
Arkansas River Valley, but few were successful in their search for 
wealth. More and more gold seekers turned to farming to provide for 
themselves and their families. As permanent settlements were 
established, farmers discovered normal rainfall was inadequate for 
agriculture. The era of irrigation had begun.
  Early irrigation in the valley depended on available stream runoff 
from the Arkansas River and its tributaries. As irrigation farming 
increased, a demand developed for late-season water which could not be 
supplied by unregulated streamflow. Storage reservoirs were needed. As 
a result, farmer-owned irrigation companies were formed between 1890 
and 1910. These companies constructed several storage reservoirs having 
a total storage capacity of nearly 600,000 acre-feet. In addition, they 
received water from transmountain diversion systems originally 
importing only a few thousand acre-feet annually.
  After years of drought and hardship, and numerous discussions among 
the residents of the Arkansas Valley, the plan to form a water 
conservancy district was put forward. Early leaders of water 
development Harold Christy, Charlie Boustead and Charlie Beise, visited 
numerous meetings of canal companies to explain the needs and 
usefulness of a district with taxing power. Petitions to create such a 
district were then circulated throughout the community.
  On May 13, 1958, the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District 
was formed. At that time, the District Board of Directors were named 
and included Charles Irwin, Frank Dilley, Selby Yount, Wayne Bennett, 
Herbert Schroeder, Frank Milenski, Elmer Martin, James Shoun, James 
Wagner, Kenneth Shaw, Sid Nichols, Roy Cooper, David Ciruli, Harold 
Christy and William Bauserman.
  Just four years later, the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, a plan to 
divert additional flows from the western slope, gained approval. On 
August 16, 1962, President John F. Kennedy traveled to Pueblo, Colorado 
to sign Public Law 87-590 authorizing the project. At that time he 
stated, ``There is no more valuable lesson for a President . . . than 
to come to a river and see what grows next to it and come to this city 
* * * this platform, and know how vitally important water is.''
  Water is indeed a necessity to the people of the Arkansas River 
Valley. The Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District for the 
last forty years has been the driving force behind proper water 
management within the valley and it is for that reason that I honor 
them today.

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