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

TITLE I-LOWER COLORADO RIVER BASIN PROJECT

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001793
THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER BASIN PROJECT . 9

SECTION-By-SECTION ANALYSIS

A bill to authorize the construction, operation, and maintenance of
the Lower Oolorad6 River Basin project, and for other purposes"

Section 101
Section 101 is patterned after section 1 of the Boulder Oanyon
Project Act (45 Stat. 1057) and section 1 of the act of April 11, 1956,
the Oolorado River Storage Project Act (70 Stat. 105). . It states that
the object of the bill is "to provide a program for the furthercompre-
hensive development of the 'water resources of the Lower Oolorado
River Basin." It also establishes the policy of the Oongress that'.the
Secretary of the Interior shall continue to develop a regional waterplan
to serve as the framework under which existing and future projects' in
the Lower Oolorado Basin may be coordinated and constructed With
proper timing, The reclamation of lands authorized by this bill
will provide for the maintenance of the existin:g irrigation economies
rather than for their expansion (sec. 105(c)(1)).The reference to
"improvement of conditions for fish and wildlife" includes. both
preservation and enhancement.
The declaration of policy and the reference to the prOVISlOn 'of
additional water reflect one of the major purposes of the bill, that
is to establish a means whereby new units may be authorized, in an
orderly and efficient manner, to augment the natural water supply of
the Lower Oolorado River Basin. As projects or works are determined
to be feasible and desirable, they would be proposed to theOongress.
The potential for development of the area dependent on the lower
Oolorado River for a water supply is enormous and far outstrips
the capabilities of that stream. The Lower Oolorado River Basin is
growing at one of the most rapid rates in the Nation. But while its
population is increasing, its water supply is decreasing due to increas-
mg use in the upper basin, unprecedented low runoff during the past
34 years, and the ove~exp~oitationof underground ~eservoirs. Vnless
a means of augmentmg Its water supply IS prOVIded, expanSIOn of
development in the basin must soon cease and regression, which has
already occurred in some areas, will be a~gravated. .
Water, howeverl need not be the limitmg factor in development of
the basin. The bill would replace the concept of water as a limiting
resource with the concept of development based upon the provision.of
water to meet all economic demands.
The units authorized by this bill initiate the' Lower Colorado River
Basin project (sees. 104 and 201). They will provide the meamdor
effecting a redistribution of the use of the waters of the main stream
in accordance with the Oourt'sdecree.
They do not, however, meet the need for additional water. This
need can be met only by providipg new sources of supply. I t is neces-
sary, therefore, that provisions for authorizing the means of making
additional supplies available (sees, 102, 103) be coordinated with the
provisions for using the present limited supply. . .
The Lower Oolorado River Basin is defined in the bill as it is de-
fined in the Oolorado River compact. It means those parts of the
States of Arizona, Oalifornia, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah

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