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<br />22 <br /> <br />actually put together in a rather exhaustive collection of data known as <br /> <br />the "Engineering Committee's Final Report." TI1e only statistics presented <br />in this summary in Meeting Five concerned the figures of present irrigated <br /> <br />acreage in each Upper Basin state. This estimation alone is revealing of <br /> <br />Colorado's dominance of Upper Basin usage. As of 1.949, Colorado was irrigating <br />substantially more than the other four states combined were irrigating.75 <br />Other figures contained in the Final Report, to be discussed later, also testify <br />to the extent of Colorado's contribution to and usage of the Colorado River. <br />O~e of t11e first issues taken up in the meeting was also brought up by <br />Mr. Riter. He expressed apprehension about the possible dire effects of a <br />miscalculation by the engineers of measurements of current man-made depletions <br />on the Colorado. An overestimation of this figure, he said, would consequently <br />lead to an overestimation of the river's virgin flow. TIle virgin flow at a <br /> <br /> <br />partiCUlar point of the stream is the sum of the actual measured flow and <br /> <br /> <br />the current depletions by man. An overestimation of these depletions, then, <br /> <br /> <br />would also lead to an overly optimistic estimation of any surplus waters, which <br /> <br /> <br />consist of unused ,vaters to be sent downstream to fulfill the Lower Basin and <br /> <br />Mexican obligations. Thus, one or more of the regions of the basin would nec- <br /> <br />essarily be affected in receiving less water to \;ork wi th than promised or <br /> <br />estimated. <br />This uncertainty of water measurements by the engineers and the unpredicta- <br />bility of the flo', of the Colorado were two of the factors that led to discussion <br />of apportioning the water on a percentage rather than an acre-foot basis. <br />Breitenstein of Colorado brought up this question which he saw as one of the most <br />important that the Commission would have to anEwer. HE pointed out the error <br /> <br />of the negotiators of the Colorado River Compact in accepting an inflated <br />