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<br />. <br /> <br />~ <br />. <br /> <br />Water use projects initiated <br />after the signing of this <br />compact, to the greatest <br />extent possible, shall permit <br />the full use within the basin <br />in the most feasible manner of <br />the waters of the Little Snake <br />River and its tributaries, <br />without regard to the state <br />line: and, so far as is <br />practicable, shall result in <br />an equal diversion between the <br />states of the use of water not <br />used under rights existing <br />prior to the signing of this <br />compact. <br /> <br />It would appear that this section raises some very <br />interesting questions,since these projects are all subsequent to <br />the signing of the compact. For instance, is Colorado entitled <br />to a similar amount of water that is currently being depleted by <br />Cheyenne's Stage I and will be depleted by Stage II and III? <br />Would any water that Wyoming developed in this basin have to be <br />shared equally with Colorado? <br /> <br />Conclusion <br /> <br />There are two important actions that Colorado must take in <br />order to evaluate the ramifications of the LSRWMP. The first <br />should include a thorough analysis of our legal rights to these <br />waters under the Upper Colorado River Compact. The second should <br />include an analysis of Colorado's ability to utilize any <br />developed water in this basin or in the Yampa River basin. It is <br />my estimate, based on reading the Savery-Pot Hook Reports, that <br />Colorado could utilize supplemental and full service irrigation <br />water on about 15,000 acres. <br /> <br />DLL/gl <br /> <br />-4- <br /> <br />