Water case
The case of Akin versus the United States was argued orally in the United States Supreme Court Wednesday with the outcome being important to the San Juan Basin. Who has jurisdiction over adjudication of water rights in the San Juan River drainage and along the Dolores River will be determined following the outcome of the court case. The suit stems from action by the U.S. Department of Justice in 1972 on behalf of the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain tribes along with 15 other tribes.
Dolores recommended for Wild and Scenic
A Release from the office of Governor Lamm stated that he has recommended that 140 miles of the Dolores River be included under the Wild and Scenic River Act of 1968. If approved the river will be the first in Colorado to be so designated. “It is my conviction that the Dolores River and its west tributary are a unique and precious natural environment that should be preserved for both present and future generations of America,” Lamm said. “The river is unique in that in the relative short distance it traverses five life zones from high wet alpine in the San Juan Mountains to a semi-arid area.”
Tax increase
A very high percentage of Dolores area residents are showing a mixture of frustration and anger this week as the county’s tax bills are received in the mail. Several have shown up in person or called the Star office to let their feelings be known. Cause of the protest is the large percentage increases that many property owners are getting. It appears that many have gone up over 50 percent and some have gone as high as double last year’s tax. The assessed valuation of the count in 1960 was just over $20 million and for 1975 if was over $33 million.