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<br />
<br />U.S. Figures Show
<br />No ~tate Shortage
<br />
<br />By Doug Bradley
<br />The dreary squabble over water rights continues
<br />between factions of the Upper and Lower Basin states.
<br />In congressional halls and from state platforms the
<br />charges and_ accusations fly.
<br />, The basis for all the hot ail- let loose over water is
<br />/that supposedly there is a shortage. of water in the
<br />Co,orado River, and not enough day or October next succeeding
<br />to satisfy the Colora~o River the ratification of this compact.
<br />Compact of 1922, which allo~ . . ~
<br />the states In each basin their
<br />share of' water.
<br />It is this premise which spurs
<br />, men like former Gov. (Big Ed)
<br />'.Johnson to demand a suit against
<br />'Arizona because that state
<br />wents to divert 1,200,000 acre.
<br />I feet of water for a central Arl.
<br />~ zona IrrigeUon proiect.
<br />: ~Results of an investigation
<br />i carried out by Cervi's Journal
<br />i offer what this newspaper
<br />I claims Is Irrefutable proof thai
<br />I Johnson's stand, and that of
<br />! other so.called weter experts,
<br />stems from a false premise.
<br />These are the facts:
<br />, . There Is no - over-all water
<br />I shortage In Colorado.
<br />. There Is plenty of water fot
<br />east and west slopes and enough
<br />,to meet Ute obligations un.
<br />, : der the river comp,act, and still
<br />I leave ~ore for storage In the
<br />reservOirs.
<br />: . There is water on tbe, Wesl
<br />;_ 'Slope not being used which we
<br />, 10se.,,*'4~M.~.
<br />1 '. Solution'_ to geographicallY
<br />- .! 'misplllCe(\ water oan he carried
<br />. ': out ..by' economically feasible
<br />trensmountaln diversion proj.
<br />ects.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />Substantiation of much of !Ills
<br />Jllls in exeinilUltion of the ,actual
<br />,runoff records of the Colorado
<br />River at Lee Ferry. A table
<br />showing the historical' runoff
<br />from 1914 to 1963 Is published
<br />willi this, story. The figures are
<br />taken from the records kept by
<br />the U,S. Geological Survey and
<br />~ U.S. Reclamation Bureau.
<br />Colorado has entered into two
<br />, Interstate compacts limiting Us
<br />. use of Colorado River wilter:
<br />the Colorado River Compact
<br />1 signed In 1922, and the Upper
<br />I Colorado River Basin Compact
<br />, signed In 1948. The former allo.
<br />cated the waters of the stream
<br />system between the Upper Ba.
<br />sin and the Lower Basin; the
<br />laUer allotted the Upper Basin
<br />share among the states in tbll,t
<br />basin. .
<br />''.' During the 30 years which
<br />have elapsed since the Colorado
<br />River Compact l..ecame effec.
<br />tlve, many disputes have arisen
<br />regarding the Intent and appli.
<br />cability of the various provi.
<br />sions of the compact.
<br />The two dominating sections
<br />of the compact under which the .
<br />waters of the Colorado River
<br />system are allocated, read as
<br />follows: '
<br />(a) There is hereby appor.
<br />tioned from the Colorado River
<br />system in perpetuity to the Up.
<br />per Basin endIo the Lower Ba.
<br />sin, respectivelY, the exclusive
<br />beneficial consumptive use of
<br />. 7,500,000 acre.feet of water per
<br />annum, which shall Include all
<br />water necessary for the supply
<br />of any rights which may now
<br />exist.
<br />(d) Tbe states of the upper dl.
<br />vision will not cause the now 01
<br />the river at Lee Ferry to he de.
<br />pleted below an a'ggregate of 7li
<br />million ac' -.feet for any period
<br />. I of 10' consecutive yeers reck.
<br />'oned in continuing progressive
<br />SlP'ies beginning with the first
<br />
<br />Even cursory analysis of tho
<br />table _ prepared for Cervi's by
<br />water expert Mills E, Bunger -
<br />will show that in half a century .
<br />there has always been sufficient
<br />water available to meet the de-
<br />mands of the compact sections
<br />, 'quoted above.
<br />. Wherethen,lstheconfllcton
<br />the use of Colorado's water?
<br />The answer is that availability
<br />of water does not mean it is
<br />being tapped to its proper
<br />potential. .
<br />This is the case with Colora.
<br />do's water, It has not been and is
<br />not being directed and diverted
<br />as well as it might. The causes
<br />for this ere twofold - politics
<br />end stubborn determination to
<br />avoid common-sense solutions.
<br />Water "experts" on -,'all side!('~~
<br />of the controversy won't deny
<br />that water has, long been a po,'
<br />litical footbalI.
<br />Experts on water abound; In .
<br />the political field, you become
<br />an expel't by sitting on a con.
<br />gresslonal Interior Committee
<br />and taking part in dcliberations
<br />over many years. Once you
<br />have "been dubbed experl, it's
<br />pretty hard to lose the title no
<br />matter what you say or how
<br />YOll act or vote. ,
<br />, The way to foster public be-
<br />. lief -,I.n your expertness is to
<br />issue a weighty statement from
<br />time to time on some aspect of
<br />water control.- A favorite falla-
<br />cy on which political eXI>erts
<br />like to sound off Is the effect of,
<br />reservoir evaporaUon losses.
<br />. . .
<br />Behind many statements 01
<br />the water experts, there lies a
<br />vested interest. As an example,
<br />take Rep. Wayne N. Aspinall,
<br />D.Colo., chairman of the House
<br />Interior Committee. For years
<br />his pronouncements on water
<br />had to be viewed in the light of
<br />his special interest - his con.
<br />stituents on the West Slope.
<br />Now, with reapportionment, 10'
<br />glc may replace bias -: in the
<br />view of other experts.
<br />Cervi's Journal found an ex-
<br />pert with no ax to grind. He Is
<br />Mills E. Bunger, who has been
<br />involved In water matters in
<br />Colorado since 1911. He also
<br />has worked on water projects in
<br />(More on Page 39)
<br />
<br />Colo. Springs Motel
<br />Sells for $1 ~ Million
<br />A Ramada Inn motel at Inter-
<br />state Z5 and Gerden of, the Gods
<br />road in Coiorado Sp,'lngs was
<br />sold by Harold Bel'ggren and
<br />D, L. Decker, builders, for
<br />$1,250,000,
<br />The buyer was Gene Lowrey,
<br />who formerly operated the
<br />Rambler Motel in Walsenburg.
<br />The lI'aosactlon was bandIed
<br />by Gene King an,d Phil Dolan of
<br />Fritchle & Co.:-DenVel'. King Is
<br />Fritcble's branch manager in'
<br />Colorado Springs.
<br />The 155-room motel, a franch-
<br />ise operation, was_ described by
<br />Bond Lane, manager of Fritch-
<br />Ie's motet department, as the I
<br />finest.in ,Colorado. Sprlbgs. .' /
<br />
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