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supplies of water and power. The wisdom of their investment was demonstrated dur­ing the war years, when unprecedented in­dustrial expansion for war production was possible only because of Colorado River developments. The Colorado River also has made it pos­sible to absorb the huge population migra­tion that still continues. AGRICULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES Colorado River water now irrigates 500,- 000 food-producing acres in Imperial and Coachella Valleys and in the Palo Verde district. The area under cultivation can be increased to 1,000,000 acres without depriv­ing any existing project of full use of Colo­rado River water. KEY TO THE FUTURE The Colorado River is the key to the in­dustrial growth . . . the economic growth . . . the irrigation growth . . . and the ultimate development of the entire Southern Cali­fornia area. Public agencies serving water to more than 3,000,000 men, women and children have contracts with the federal government for specified shares of the Colorado River flow. Other states also have claims to the river flow. As a result, the total quantity of water available from the Colorado River already is spoken for. There is nothing left for new projects without taking away some of the water already promised to existing or planned projects. OUR “ LAST WATERH0LE” Hemmed in by vast desert regions, as the map shows, Southern California has need for its full contract share of the Colorado River water. That is the only source from which it can get the water needed for its destined growth. The Colorado River is the “ last wateihole.” With it, we grow and pros­per. Without it, we wither and suffer. That is what the Colorado River means to the people of Southern California. That is why it must he used to provide the greatest good for the greatest number. A - 4 - COLORADO RIVER ASSOCIATION PRESTON HOTCHKIS, President BEN P. GRIFFITH, Secretary A non-profit, non-partisan organization working to protect the water rights of the 3,000,000 men and women served by the following water systems: COACHELLA VALLEY COUNTY WATER DISTRICT DEPARTMENT pF WATER AND POWER, CITY OF LOS ANGELES ! IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PALO VERDE IRRIGATION DISTRICT SAtl DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY Membership in the Association is open to all citizens who favor the application of sound business principles to Colorado River water projects and who believe that water rights established by legal contracts Should be recognized and protected. The Associ­ation has no membership dues or fees of any kind. For further information, write to: 306 West Third Street, Los Angeles 13. Bringing Water to a Thirsty People INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE COLORADO RIVER-SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RELIEF MAP Interesting facts about the topograph­ical display map of Southern California and the Colorado River are described in this folder. The information it gives will help you to realize the gigantic nature of the engineering and construc­tion work involved in bringing Colorado River water a distance of 410 miles over heat-baked desert and through rugged mountain ranges to the people in the cities of Southern California.