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<br />"i <br /> <br />CHAPTER III <br /> <br />THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RIVER <br />AND THE LAW OF THE RIVER THROUGH 1928 <br /> <br />The Colorado River Basin Prior to 1922 <br /> <br />Some papers or books treat the development of the river and the development of the "law of <br />the river" separately. But I believe the two completely interdependent. The term "Law of the River" <br />refers to the body of interstate compacts, international treaties, court decisions and decrees, federal <br />and state laws that allocate, regulate and manage water use throughout the Basin. Certain features <br />of the Law of the River resulted from the consequences of development and just as importantly, other <br />project and development features were the by-product of the law. <br /> <br />The Basin has been inhabited by native peoples for thousands of years.42 Irrigation by <br />relatively sophisticated canal systems was a common practice of native people in the Gila and Salt <br />River Valleys. Remains of the old agricultural developments are found throughout the Gila River <br />Valley. <br /> <br />The fIrst European to explore the Colorado River was Hernando de Alarcon, who in 1540 <br />traveled about 100 miles above the Gila River. In 1542, Lopez de Cardenas discovered the Grand <br />Canyon. By the early to mid 1800s, traders, trappers and explorers explored and traversed the Basin. <br /> <br />The discovery of gold in California in 1849 brought more explorers into the lower river and <br />the settlement of Utah by Mormons brought these settlers through the Green River Basin. <br /> <br />In 1851, Fort Yuma was established. In 1857, the War Department sent Lieutenant J.C. Ives <br />up the Colorado River to determine how far up the river navigation was possible. He made it to about <br />the present located of Hoover Dam.43 In his report, Lieutenant Ives said: <br /> <br />"The region last explored is, of course altogether valueless. It can be approached only <br />from the South, and after entering it, there is nothing there to do but leave. Ours was <br />the first and doubtless will be the last, party of whites to visit this profitless locality. <br />It seems intended by nature that the Colorado River along the greater portion of its <br />lone and majestic way shall be forever unvisited and unmolested."44 <br /> <br />42House Document 419, pages 45 & 46. <br /> <br />43id, page 48. <br /> <br />44House Document 419, page 48. HD419 does not footnote the original source. <br /> <br />Page -16- <br />