WSP09774

• File Number: 8103.400
• Description: Arkansas River Basin Legislation - Compacts
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 12/14/1948
• Author: Unknown
• Title: Arkansas River Compact - Report and Submission of the Arkansas River Compact - 1948
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

021206

respectively, orindividually as a "State," or collectively as the "States")
having resolved to conclude a compact with respect to the waters of the
Arkansas River, and being moved by considerations of interstate comity;
having appointed commissioners as follows:

HENRY C. VIDAL, GAIL L.JRELAND, and
. HARRY B. MENDENHALL, for Colorado; and
GEORGE S. KNAPP, EDWARD F. ARN, WILLIAM
E. LEAVITT, and ROLAND H. TATE, for Kansas;

and the consent of the Congress of the United States to negotiate and
enter into an interstate compact not later than January 1, 195'0, having
been granted by Public Law 34, 79th Congress, 1st Session, and pursuant
thereto the President having designated Hans Kramer as the representa-
tive of the United States, the said commissioners for Colorado and Kansas,
after negotiations participated in by the representative of the United
States, have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE I

The major purposes of this Compact are to:
A. Settle existing disputes and remove causes of future controversy
between the States of Colorado and Kansas, and between citizens of one
and citizens of the other State" concerning the waters of the Arkansas
River and their control, conservation and utilization for irrigation and .
other beneficial purposes.
B. Equitably divide arid apportion between the States of Colorado
and Kansas the waters of the Arkansas River and their utilization as
-well as the benefits arising from the construction, operation and mainte-
nance by the United States of John Martin Reservoir Project for water
conservation purposes. .

ARTICLE II

The provisions of this Compact are based on (1) the physical and
other conditions peculiar to the Arkansas River and its natural drainage
basin, and the nature and location of irrigation and other developments
and facilities in connection therewith; (2) the opinion of the United
States Supreme Court entered December 6, 1943, in the case of Colorado
v. Kansas (320 U. S. 383)conceming the relative rights of the respective
States in and to the use of waters of the Arkansas River; and (3) the
experience derived under various interim executive agreements between
the two States apportioning the waters released from the John Martin
Reservoir as operated by the Corps of Engineers.

ARTICLE III

As used in this Compact:
A. The word "Stateline" means the geographical boundary line
between Colorado and Kansas.

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