WSP11765

• File Number: 8200.200
• Description: Colorado River-Colorado River Basin-Colorado River Basin Hydrology
• State: CO
• Date: 6/27/1950
• Author: Silmon Smith
• Title: Silmon Smiths Colorado River Analysis -- Analysis of Colorados Share of Colorado River and Its Use Consumptive Present and Potential
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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It is binding upon any development operating through a water conservation
district. Theoretically at least, the Bureau of Reclamation has recog-
nized this policy as binding upon its develcpment of Colorado's water use.

The figures appearing herein are facts developed almost entirely by
the Bureau. They are available to anyone vlho searches. How, in good
faith in the face of these facts, can the Bureau continue to expend
millions of dollars of public 'moneys on plans to divert more than a
million acre feet of water, which it knows does not exist? We take pride
in the splendid accomplishments of the Bureau of Reclamation, and only
recently the Bureau broke all records in an emergency repair of a failed
project tunnel which otherwise would have most seriously damaged the
economy of Western Colorado; and we are glad of this opportunity to ex-
press our gratitude.

It is not the purpose of the writer to criticize all of the personnel
of the Bureau of Reclamation. It is a large and far-flung organization.
There are some who recognize the facts as they are, but these seem power-
less to correct the situation.

The people of Eastern Colorado do not wish or intend to destroy
Western Colorado. The Eastern Slope people are being told that "the
water we seek to divert and which you can use in Eastern Colorado, is
surplus and cannot be used in Western Colorado and unless diverted to
Eastern Colorado, it will be lost to California and Arizona". The men
who tell this, to the Eastern Slope people should know it is not true. We,
of Western Colorado, where originates more than 70% of all the water
which flows to Lee Ferry (the dividing point ':Jet':reen the Upper Basin and
Lower Basin) and 65% of all the water .'ihich flows in the entire Colorado
River Basin (including the Gila River) deplore the failure of the repre-
sentatives of the Bureau of Reclam~tion to speak up and tell the facts to
the people of Colorado.

Since the Colorado River Compact was executed in 1922, it has been
found there is and was less water in the River than it was formerly
assumed. When the treaty with I\~exico was executed, there was granted to
Mexico about twice the amount of water we could spare without loss to the
Basin in the United States. \Vhen the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact
was executed, Colorado accepted less water than she knew she needed.
This was upon the theory that the resulting shortage would be suffered by
the proponents of transmountain diversion. In spite of all these facts,
the engineers in charge of Bureau Diversion Projects proceed as though
they had never heard of them, with possibly minor exceptions; for example:
We don't hear much said about a proposed third Gunnison-Arkansas diver-
sion, called the pumping unit, of an additional 800,000 acre feet which
has not even been listed among the diversion plans on the first sheet.

The people of Western Colorado do not want a River Authority. We do
not want such an authority for the same reason that we prefer an in-
efficient bungling representative or democratic form of government to a
streamlined efficient dictatorship.

We realize the need of some co-ordination, between Regions IV and
VII; between the Bureau of Reclamation and the Bureau of !:lines; between

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