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<br />State of Missouri Interest in Interstate Compacts <br /> <br />o <br />C) <br />.W <br />CO <br />..c:.. <br />C'J <br /> <br />In his discussion, Mr. Charles Michael, representing the State of Missouri, said <br />that Missouri is not involved with any compacts. Missouri is a water-rich state <br />and has not seen the need for compacts. One of the concerns the State has in <br />entering into a compact is the allocation of money for admiDistration of com- <br />pacts. All issues and precepts are important in negotiating a compact, and <br />dedicated people are needed to administer compacts. <br /> <br />Interstate Compacts - Panel Discussion <br /> <br />Mr. Coan Bueche, representing the State of Louisiana, was moderator of a panel <br />discussion of the presentations. Each of the compacts has a Federal chsirman. <br />The chairman is appointed by the President of the United States, but has no vote <br />in administration of. the compact. It is very important that compacts be written <br />correctly; sooner or later there is a need to test the compact and the outcome <br />of a lawsuit depends on the compact. The first step in a disagreement among the <br />commissioners is to assign the task to the Engineering Committee to resolve the <br />issue before it becomes a lawsuit. If an interstate problem goes into litiga- <br />tion, it ultimately would go to the Supreme Court; the Supreme Court would use <br />the Compact as a major source of decision or source of information. If there is <br />opposition to the Court decision, a Water Master is appointed. The Water Master <br />hears the testimoDY of both parties, makes a decision and then makes a recommen- <br />dation to the Department of Justice. <br /> <br />Rio Grande Compact <br /> <br />Mr. Jesse Gilmer, Rio Grande Compact Commissioner for Texas, discussed the <br />Rio Grande Compact. The Rio Grande is an interstate and international stream. <br />The water is used to furnish irrigation water to the different irrigated. areas <br />of three States and two Nations. Negotiations of a Rio Grande Compact were ini- <br />tiated in 1923 and a temporary compact was eDtered into in 1929. The Compact <br />has not been amended since its establishment in 1939. There has been no request <br />by any Signatory State to have the Compact amended. The Rio Grande Compact is <br />administered by the Rio Grande Compact Commission. The Commissioners for <br />Colorado and New Mexico are the State Engineers of their respective States. The <br />Commissioner for Texas is appointed by the Governor of Texas. The Chairman of <br />the Compact Commission is appointed by the President of the United States, and <br />presides without vote. The Compact has survived droughts, floods, population <br />explosions, rapid growth of industry, change in demand and prices for agri- <br />cultural commodities, increased costs for production of agricultural com- <br />modities, changing techniques in agriculture, wars, depressions, Supreme Court <br />tests, and strong personalities. <br /> <br />State Of Arkansas Interstate Compacts <br /> <br />Mr. John Frank Gibson, legal advisor for the Arkansas Soil and Water <br />Conservation Commission, discussed the two Compacts Arkansas is involved with, <br />the Arkansas-Oklahoma Arkansas River Basin Compact and the Red River Compact. <br />In negotiating the two compacts, the purposes outlined in the working drafts <br /> <br />10 <br />