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<br />., <br /> <br />... <br /> <br />West; The Colorado River Compact and the Politics of Water in the American West" (Berkley, <br />1975). For the real enthusiasts, minutes of the compact negotiations are generally available in local <br />libraries and probably the Internet as well. <br /> <br />The compact commissioners were unable to craft an agreement that would apportion water <br />among the seven states. Instead they apportioned water between the lower river (Lower Basin) and <br />upper river (Upper Basin). The geographic divide was Lee Ferry, defmed as one mile below the <br />confluence of the Paria River and Colorado River. The compact itself was signed on November 24, <br />1922 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. However, its full ratification would take 22 more years. <br /> <br />The full text of the 1922 Compact is attached as Appendix A. Because of their importance <br />to the issues we now face on the river, several articles of the compact are specifically worth setting <br />out in full: <br /> <br />Article II (a) <br /> <br />"The term "Colorado River System" means that portion of the <br />Colorado River and its tributaries within the United States of <br />America.." <br /> <br />Comment: This definition clearly includes the Lower Basin tributaries. <br /> <br />Article III (a) <br /> <br />"There is hereby apportioned from the Colorado River System, in <br />perpetuity to the Upper Basin and to the Lower Basin, respectively, <br />the exclusive beneficial consumptive use of 7,500,000 acre-feet of <br />water per annum, which shall include all water necessary for the <br />supply of any rights which may now exist." <br /> <br />Article III (b) <br /> <br />"In addition to the apportionment in paragraph (a), the Lower Basin <br />is hereby given the right to increase its beneficial consumptive use of <br />such waters by one million acre-feet per annum." <br /> <br />Comment: There is a general misconception that the intent of the compact was to split the <br />use of the water 50/50. As you can see with Article III (b), that is not the case. Some compact <br />scholars contend that Article III (b) was included in the compact to give Arizona additional <br /> <br />Page -20- <br />