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<br />
<br />Pacific. uw Journal/Vol. 19
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<br />1988 I California Colorado Ri~, JSSII~
<br />
<br />bUng bloc:k has been the amount of money, and putring aside the
<br />natural desire of Imperial County farmers and citizens to receive: as
<br />large an infusion of money as possible, it represenl5 the clash of the
<br />divergent views on wherher Slare or Federal law applies. Metropolitan
<br />(and. it should be noted, Palo Verde and Coachella) lnsllt! that the
<br />diversion and use of Colorado River waler In California Is loverned
<br />by the Law of Ihe River: The Colorado River Compact, the Boulder
<br />Canyon Projec1. Act, the opinion and decree in Arizona v. California,
<br />and perhaps more importantly. the Seven Party Agreement and the
<br />Secretary', water delivery contracts. Under this theory, if a contractor
<br />wi(h a higher priority does not use alllhe water available to it under
<br />ifS priority. thai water is available to the ne",1 priorily user. Since
<br />Imperial has a higher priority than Metropolitan. any watel not used
<br />by Imperial, 01' any other user in higher priority, is available to
<br />Metropolitan. Imperial's view is that recent California laws encour-
<br />aging conservation and the transfer of water authorize Imperial to
<br />sell or lease any water conserved by it to anyone. To analyze these
<br />views. we should firsl examine Imperial's water rights.
<br />
<br />J. Contract Rights
<br />
<br />Imperial's contract of December i, 1932 provided for both the
<br />ton!otruction and operation of the All~American Canal as well b for
<br />Ihe deliv<<y of water, lot The key water delivery provision begins:
<br />The Unitrd Slal~5 shall, from storage .vailable in the reservoir
<br />crealed by Hoov~r Dam. d~li\'er 10 (he District each year .t a point,
<br />in (he Colorado Riv~r immedialely above Imperial Dam. 10 much
<br />wat~r as may be nec~lSary to supply the District a 10lal quantity,
<br />indudinz all olher waters diverted for use within the DisUict from
<br />the Colorado River, in the amounts and with priorities in .ccordance
<br />with. . .(the Seven Party Alreementl, . , .1-
<br />
<br />The water delivered is "as reasonably required for potable and
<br />irrigation purposes within the boundaries of the District in Ihe
<br />Imperi3.1 and Coache11a Val1eys in Califomia."IO'I The contract is also
<br />made e"'pressly subject to the Colorado River Compact.""
<br />This conlract was issued pursuant to the authority of the Boulder
<br />Canyon Project Act and, as noted, is subject to the Colorado River
<br />Compact. Of even greater significance is the fact thai Imperial is not
<br />entitled to a specific quantity of water. Us prime entitlement is the
<br />third priority of the Snen Party Agreement. As third priorily,
<br />Imperial has rights to all Ihe water that can be beneficially and
<br />consumptively used for' aSricultural and potable uses: within th~
<br />boundariu of the District, provided that the tolal quanlily used by
<br />the first three priorities shall not txceed 3,850.000 acre-feet per
<br />year,llI9 Thus, under Ihese federal documents. if Imperial has no
<br />reasonable need for beneficial consumptive use whhin hs District
<br />boundaries of lhat enlire quantity. it has no right 10 divert such
<br />waler. The De",1 party in priority is entilled to use Ihe surplus. subject
<br />to quantity and contract restrictions for that party. On Ihe face or
<br />these: documents, there is no room for sale of Colorado River water
<br />by Imperial outside its boundaries without the ~pproval of affected
<br />priority holders and the Secre\ary of the In\erior.
<br />
<br />B. Im~riDI'$ Walt'r Rights
<br />
<br />The water rights of (he Imperial Irrigation District are in two
<br />forms: its conlract to divert Colorado River water with Ihe Secrelary
<br />of Ihe Interior, and ifS present perfected rights now protected by the
<br />amended decree in Arizona lo'. Coli/omia.lOA
<br />
<br />polil.n', Board or DirecfOl'I WI rrj~t'd Olt. J.2 .~,e by ''"rrrlal'. DOlrd. Thll Memorandum
<br />or Undr'nlandil1, obli"ltd Ihe ,,'rlir. 10 1It1Ol1.'irl, eonlrld .h..rrb)r ",".opolil.n .ould
<br />P'Y SIO million nth )'tll for ., !flU )7 I'tU' 10 hf,prrill. I,"ptrill ill IIITll ... obbplmlo
<br />t.p.md Ihe moltey fOf conllrUCIIQIt .nd otoefl.llon of ....tC'! c:onl.l:l'vl.lion rMUUlft Inci (Kll>lin
<br />Ind ""'" 100,000 ICrr.fCTl of ....,er p1rYlou.r)' u'IC'd by ,nd '.'II.ble 10 Imperilll...illble 10
<br />fo.!elropol,"n e.ch year fOl II lent l~ )'U". StY Memorandll'" of UnderUlndln,. July 19n
<br />(on Iile II Iht P<<.fic: LA.. 10I<'1I_l'l. .
<br />1001. In lhe 19lO'" Imllft'illlppllrd for SllIe .'lff ripu peTmiu fOT di..,..ion of Color.do
<br />Ri.CT "'In' for ...jeU/lural ule .nd: ror hydrO.e1ttllic .eneullion .10"1 Ihe lOOn 10 be
<br />ron....ue!"' AII.~merICln C.n.t. Th.. _,riellllur.1 Ull' pelmlt, ..hleh .... ".nled in 1"0. i.
<br />by 'IS Iflm~ ,Ptf,r-=:t.ll., IU~('fvirnl ID'lhe SteTd.ry'. ...It, d..li..rr,. conlr~dl ....s IlIe Se\r('ft
<br />P.rl,. A,.ennenl. ~ ClhfoTni. Defendantl Elhibu 1'10. 107, "'rilon. Y. Clliforni. (pro<<td.
<br />In(J M'/r>rt II" Spniol MtlJ/"., Ion file II the P~i!W" Lo. }ou,ntlf). A. fir U Ihe 11Ilhor
<br />.no"I.lm~ti.1 hll ftC1>ft'eonlendcd th'llhilllft',"il'flnlllmperial.n., ri.hll it did nOI
<br />I.heady have' by V~lUe of ill WIler dtlivn7 conn'e! ..ilh Ihe ~mll'J' or il, prcvnt prrfrt'ltd
<br />...hll. ;.
<br />~
<br />
<br />IO~. SN Wll.lua. .. ELT, JIi",. nOle J. II 1106 (Conlrlct for C:;onAl'Uedon of Di..enion
<br />OIIm. tot.ill C.n.I, Ind Appllnen.nl Slructurn .nd Delivery or Wllft' (Deumbet I. 1912)1.
<br />106. Id. (Ankle 17 of Ihe Conlraa,. The Sewn Part)' Alm:meal illbm lei rorth In ruB.
<br />107. Id.
<br />101. Id.
<br />109. Id. II IClOl.
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