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<br />Pa<:lfic UW Journal I Vol. 19
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<br />1988 / California Colorado R;~r Issut!3
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<br />These provisions constifute the main operative parts of the Compact,
<br />and in simplified lerms provide that each Basin may h.avc the
<br />benencial consumptive use or 7.500,000 acre-feet of Colorado River
<br />water per year. wilh an additional 1,000.000 acre. feet for the lower
<br />Baslnll IC available there. The Upper Basin il .I!lo oblill.ted to release
<br />",000,000 acre.re~ of water every continuinl l().yC'ar period at Lee
<br />Ferry, Arizona. the dividin.line between the two basins. Moreover,
<br />neirhCT Ba!liin is 10 hoard or wasle waler. Finally, water fa salisf)'
<br />any fUlure: Mexican Water treat)' would come from surplus waters.
<br />If there js no surplus, the two Basins would Ihare the obligation
<br />equally.
<br />Another Compact provision that is imporlant for the Lower Basin
<br />concerns the mailer of "present perfected rights." Anicle VIII of
<br />the Compad provides for the prolection of "presen. perfecled riShts
<br />10 Ihe beneficial use of the walers of the Colorado River System. . .
<br />. If Ir further provides that if storage capacity of 5,000,000 acre-feet
<br />;,s pro'Vided on the main Colorado River for Ihe benen. of the Lower
<br />Basin, then Lower Basin present perfected rights are to be satisfied
<br />out of such storage. Unfortunately, the phrase "present perfecled
<br />rights" was not defined. A definition was ullimately provided by the
<br />United States Supreme Court in Aritona Y. California."
<br />The negoliaton of the Colorado River Compact were unable 10
<br />agree on an apportionment between the states within each Basin, but
<br />this was subsequently resolved by another f;ompact (or the Upper
<br />
<br />Basin and by an act of Congress. 85 interpreled by the Supr~e
<br />Court for the Lower Basin. We shall turn firsl to the Upper Basin.
<br />
<br />C. Up~r Colorado Ri~r Basin Compact
<br />
<br />million .ae.fftl pn' Innam.
<br />(c) If. U I mille' of \r.ltI''Il11101U11 comll,. l~ Unital 1t.lelI.of "mmca Ihllft
<br />herll'ilLlner lC'CO,.iu in the tJniltd SUlCI of M'nico In, rl,hl 10 lhe UM' of In,
<br />.llerl of the Colorldo IU"tI" SYllm, IUch Wllerl IuD be lupPlitd Rrtt frOtn ItIc
<br />.llen .trlch Ire .urplul _ Ind lbo"e Ihe ap:rcple of Ihe qlQnllUt'I lpeclntd In
<br />parllT"''' fl' Ind (bl; and If IUC1l. IIIr-p1.,,, IWI powt In.umclC1\t lor !hi. purpoae,
<br />Ihen, 1M burdm or tuch defk;mq lhall be 1rq"11I, borne by ItIc Upper Bllin Ind
<br />Ihe LoweI Snin, Ind .hmCYel' nccn'\lry the Sill" of lhe Upper Ohi.ion &hIU
<br />deliYer II l.ft' FCITJ .ller 10 .apl',," one.half of lhe derlriencJ' 10 recosniud la
<br />Iddilion 10 Ihll pro..;dcd In ~l,,"ptr fd).
<br />ed) The Sllln or Ihe tJpper om.ion .,11 no!: caUIt lhe now of lhe rlm It Lee
<br />Fcny 10 be depIC'ltd'bel~ In aurealle of ".000.000 wrc.rm ror In, pvlocl or
<br />1m conlof(\lli'e )'CIU redoncd In conllnuln, Pfoaret.liwe Itrin bellnnlq .llh rJw
<br />fj,tt daJ' of CktobcT "'., ,un:ecdln,lhc '1Iifical;on of Ihil compact.
<br />(e) The SII'n of Ihe tJpper Di"i1ion .h.n not .llhhold "IIC!', Ind lhe Sllln of lhe
<br />Lower Di"ilion .hllI nol require Ihe deliYny of .IIC!'. .hk:h annOl _bl, be
<br />I""',td 10 dom~11c Ind Ilricullurll VMI.
<br />...
<br />II. III lheory Ihil Iddil50ILl' Ipponionmmt for lhe Lo-.a BalIn ..llnlended 10 cower
<br />lhe now of 1M Oill Ri"CI' in NimlLl. aJthouah Ihll Ihcory hit been deblled. Sft WIUUa .
<br />ELT, m",. not.), II 2' n.lt.
<br />19. J16 U.s. )40(1964).
<br />
<br />The Upper Basin states were anxious to proceed with developm~t
<br />after ratification of the Colorado River Compact. Any comprehensrve
<br />dcve10pmenl would have to be preceded by a division ~mong the
<br />states of annual 7,500.000 acre-foot Use! of Colorado River ~ater
<br />apportioned by the Colorado Rivcr Compact. This was acc.omphsh~
<br />by thc signing and approval of the Upper Colorado River Basin
<br />Compact of 1948.11 .
<br />Subject to the provisions and the apportionments of rhe Colorado
<br />River Compad, the Upper Basin Compact apportions the co~sump-
<br />live use of the annual 7,500.000 acre-feet 10 each Upper .Basm 5la.te
<br />(rom the Upper Colorado River System (the Colorado River and .15
<br />lributaries above Lee Ferry),n as follows:
<br />l. Arizona: 50,000 acre-feet; and the balance:
<br />2. Colorado: 5 1.7' percent;
<br />3. New Mexico: 11.25 percent;
<br />4. Ueah: U.percent; .......
<br />5. Wyomins: 14 percent. a
<br />These apportionments are then made subject to Ihe foll~wina rules:
<br />(I) The apportionment is or any and all man-made depleuons;
<br />(2) Beneficial use is the basis, the meallure and Ihe limil of the ri,ht
<br />to use;
<br />(3) No Stale shall exceed iu apportioned us~ in any ..a~er year
<br />when (he errect or such uCCSS use. . . is 10 dcpn"e another slanalory
<br />State or its apportioned use durinllhat water year. . . .ZI
<br />The Compact then C<)ntains provisions. fot' appon~ni.n& shorta&~.
<br />and for accounting for and requiring the releases to the Low~r Bas,"
<br />obligated by the Colorado River Compact.Jot The Upper.~asm Com-
<br />pad contains numerous provisions dealina: with the diVISion or rel-
<br />
<br />20. Consml or Conlrem 10 Iler:olille the UppCI' 8m Compact .... contllnC: :; S~i:
<br />19 or Ihe Boulder CIon)'On Projecl AeI IBPCAI, 4' Stat. 1051. 106' (~Irle'd It 4 ... eI
<br />6111.617u (1912 a: Supp. III 19(151). Conr:rcn .pprCl"elllhc Upptt ~~ ~:"Ith!~:) A
<br />or April 6, 1949. 63 SIll. )1 (1949). S<< NII~nlOll, IMprW 110I1 6. .. ~ Ie I .
<br />21. 5t't sup'" DOles 1"'16 Ind ICCOmpln,,", tal.
<br />22. Compact, SlIpi'll nule). II &11. JII(I).
<br />2J. 'd.. II Irt. l1I(b).
<br />24. Id., II lit. Iv.
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<br />1396
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<br />1397
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