More than any other public figure, Wayne Aspinall came to demonstrate the vital need for development of the natural resources. During his 24 years in Congress, he led a mighty crusade to open up the West to mining and industry and to fully utilize the potential of the rivers.​

Through his position on the House Reclamation Committee and as Chairman of the House Interior Committee, he became the primary force behind Upper Colorado River development. He believed that the river was the heart of the land and its resources should be “mined” just as the lands are.​

Under his leadership, the mighty dams appeared. First, the Glen Canyon, near the Arizona border, backed up 27 million acre feet of precious water to form Lake Powell. Flaming Gorge Dam in Utah followed. Then Blue Mesa Dam and Reservoir on the Gunnison River of Colorado and the Navajo Dam in New Mexico.​

He was the most powerful water broker in America. One of his largest projects was the Lower Colorado Central Arizona Project, which affected five complete river systems. This project was a significant victory for arid Colorado.​

His chief concern was for the beneficial use of the land and its natural resources. He fought to open up the public lands to mining and development and was the first to push for shale oil recovery in western Colorado. He consistently used his position as Chairman of the House Interior Committee to promote legislation that encouraged development.​

Wayne Aspinall will long be remembered for taming the desert with his water projects and for stimulating the economy through his support of mining and industry. He was a giant among men and his achievements are permanently imprinted on the West.​

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