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<br />-' <br /> <br />B. <br /> <br />Oil0833 <br /> <br />Outline of the Law of the Colorado River <br />James S. Lochhead <br />Brownstein, Hyatt & Farber, P.C. <br />Glenwood Springs, CO <br /> <br />I. <br />A. <br /> <br />WATER ALLOCATION ISSUES <br /> <br />Colorado River Compact <br />1. Apportions consumptive use of the waters of the Colorado River Basin <br />2. 7.5 mafto Upper Basin, 8.5 mafto Lower Basin (including Lower Basin <br />Tributaries) <br />3. Upper Basin may not deplete the flow of the Colorado River Mainstem below 75 <br />mafin any lO-year period <br />4. 1922 Compact, Article III (e) - ''The States of the upper division shall not <br />withhold water, and the States ofthe lower division shall not require the delivery <br />of water, which cannot reasonably be applied to domestic and agricultural uses." <br />5. Did not deal with Indian reserved rights or Mexican deliver issues <br />6. Lower Basin (California) View - Compact necessary to secure political support <br />for Congress to authorize construction of Hoover Dam and the All-American <br />Canal <br />7. Upper Basin View - Compact was necessary to achieve security: <br />a. A defined right to develop, in perpetuity, See Article III(a) <br />b. No interstate operation ofthe prior appropriation doctrine, See Articles III <br />(a), III (e), IV (b), VIII <br />c. Eliminating the threat of federal control over water allocation, both intra- <br />and inter-state, and preserving intrastate prior appropriation and <br />administration, See Articles III (a), III (b), III (c), IV, VII, Boulder Canyon <br />Proj ect Act <br />d. Avoiding litigation, See Article I <br />e. Establishing a foundation for the comprehensive development of <br />reservoirs in the basin, See 1928 Boulder Canyon Project Act, 1956 <br />Colorado River Storage Project Act, 1968 Colorado River Basin Project <br />Act <br /> <br />Mexican Water Treaty - Creates "fIrst call" on the River of 1.5 maflyr., delivered at the <br />intemational.boundary <br />1. Lower Basin View - Upper Basin shares one-half of the burden <br />2. Upper Basin View - Lower Basin bears entire burden <br />