WSP11698

• File Number: 8210.470
• Description: Pacific Southwest Interagency Committee
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 8/6/1964
• Author: Unknown
• Title: Lower Colorado River Basin Project - Report with Individual and Minority Views - To Accompany S 1658 - Calendar Number 1267
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

001798

14 THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER BASIN PROJECT

whole program, study, authorization, construction, and delivery of
water cannot be accomplished during the period when the existing
uses are protected. .
Certain technical points in section 103 are explained as follows:
The year 20.30. mentioned in section 10.3(80) (1) was selected as the
terminal date for studies of water supply and requirements in order
to provide an adequate basis for analyses of repayment capability. A
more remote date appears to be beyond the limits of meaningful
projections.
The second sentence of section 10.3(80) (2) is based on the principle
that water should not be developed for one area at the expense of an-
other. The bill is intended to reflect Congress desire that each area
of the Nation have the opportunity to achieve its natural aspirations.
'fhe Secretary is therefore required to develop plans which will enable
Congress to see specifically how the demands in the Lower Colorado
River Basin can be met.
Section 103(80) (3) directs the Secretary to perform planning studies
of projects on tributaries of the Colorado River where local water sup-
plies exist or can be made available by replacement or exchange with
water users within the service area of the Central Arizona unit. There
still are some limited areas in Arizona on tributaries of the Colorado
River where irrigation water may be developed and utilized. There
are other areas, particularly in Arizona's northern counties where
the need for additional municipal and industrial water supplies is acute,
but can be met principally by exchanges.
Under clause (a) (4) (a) of section 103, the Secretary is directed to
investigate means of providing for prudent water conservation prac-
tices to permit maximum beneficial use of available water supplies.
The express mandate to perform an already implicit duty is timely.
Wasteful practices in the diversion, application, and use of water
cannot be tolerated in an arid country such as the Lower Colorado
River Basin.

Section 104

Subsection (a) of section 104 authorizes the main stream reservoir
unit, which consists of the Bridge Canyon and Marble Canyon Dams
on the Colorado and related structures. These are described generally
in the report of the Bureau of Reclamation of January. 1964, incorpo-
rated in the Pacific Southwest Water Plan submitted by the Secretary
(PIl- Vl-2 to VI-5).
The Bridge Canyon Dam which would be authorized is the so-called
"high dam." It would back water for 13 miles along a portion of the
Colorado River which at this location forms the northern boundary of
Grand Canyon National Park. The high water line in Havasu Creek
would be well below Havasu Falls or the area occupied by the Indians.
The last sentence of the subsection consists of a declaration that the
construction of the high Bridge Canyon Dam is consistent with the
purpose of the act by which the Grana Canyon National Park was
established. That act (act of Feb. 26,1919,40 Stat. 1175) anticipated
that the time would come when it would be necessary to balance water
develol?ment and park preservation values. Section 7 of the act
authol'lzes the Secretary of the Interior to "permit the utilization
of areas therein which may be necessary for the development and
maintenance of a Government reclamation project" whenever
consistent with the primary purposes of the park.

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