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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />If":) <br />C)") <br />'<C;!1 <br />0J <br /> <br />The compact also dealt with the operation of future reser- <br />voirs that were anticipated to be built in Colorado and New Mexico, <br /> <br />c:> <br /> <br />{-~'\ <br />~,> <br /> <br />providing among other things that if the upstream state should go <br /> <br />into arrears on its required delivery by more than the allowable <br /> <br />amount, certain water in "post-compact reservoirs" must be held for <br /> <br />the account of the downstream state. Further, no new water could <br /> <br />be impounded in the post-compact reservoir as long as such debt <br /> <br />remained. Platoro is such a post-compact reservoir. In 1952, the <br /> <br />year when the gates of Platoro were first closed, Colorado went <br /> <br />into debt by 150,000 acre-feet. <br /> <br />It was an iroriic coincidence; <br /> <br />subsequent study showed the cause of the underdelivery to bean <br /> <br />unfortunate combination of a basin-wide drouth with attendant <br /> <br />increased depletions in the San Luis Valley. Colorado did not get. <br />out of debt until 1985 when, due to the hydrologic anomaly of a <br /> <br />series of unprecedented wet years, Elephant Butte Reservoir in New <br /> <br />Mexico filled and spilled. Under the terms of the compact, the <br /> <br />debt was erased. <br /> <br />During the years between 1952 and 1985 Platoro was used for <br /> <br />flood control purposes under operation by the Bureau of Reclama- <br />tion by agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers. And it was <br /> <br />used for recreation purposes and for fishing purposes under the <br /> <br />general management of the United States Forest Service and the <br /> <br />Colorado Division of Wildlife. On one occasion in 1968 and 1969, <br /> <br />by special agreement with the downstream states, the Bureau was <br /> <br />allowed to declare a small amount of water available for use. In <br /> <br />3 <br />