Compacts, Decrees, and Treaties Affecting CO's Water

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At this time the State of CaZifornia was already vigorously pressing Congress for authorization of a federally financed lower basin projecC on the Colorado River. As the result of the t omin vs. Colorado decision, the upper basin states caere now open y hosti e to t e construction of storage or diversion facilities on the lower river that would giace that area in a position to mononolize the waters of the river through prior appropriation. It therefore did not appear possibZe thaC Congress wculd approve lower basin projects caithout an'ud?quate g uarantee tha? the water resources of the upper basin would ave some protection. In such a climate, the Colorado River Compact Comuission, authorized by Congress the previous year, began its deliberations in January of 1922. The Commission was chaired by Herbert Hoover, representing the United States. It soon became obvious that no division of water among the respective seven states could ever be accomplished. Agreement was then reached that the utaters of the Colorado River and its tributaries wouZd be aDportioned between the "Upper Basin" (Colorado, WyOmiIIgy and parts oi New Mexico, Utah and Arizona), and "Lower Basin`1 (California, Nevada and parts of Utah, New Nlexico, and Arizona). However, the Commission then became deadlocked on the question of how much water each basin was to receive. A handy solution was provided by the Bureau of Reclamation, which had made studies to determine the possible future water require- ments of each basin. The requirements of the Upper Basin were figured at 6,500,000 acre-feet of water annually. The require- ments of the Lower Basin from the main stem of the Colorado River were estimated at 5,100,000 acre-feet. ihe total future consumptive use of water from the Gila Ri.ver in Arizona was computed at 2,350,000 acre-feet. This latter sum, when added to the 5,100,000 from the main stem of the Colorado, came to 7,450,000 acre-feet. This figure was rounded out at 7,500,000 acre-feet. The situation at this point was that the toCal Upper Basin present and future requirements were computed at 6,500,000 acre-feet of water annually, and the Lower Basin requirements, includin the Gila River, were computed at 7,500,000 acre-feet annua . Since over % of the Colorado River flow originates in the 'Upper Division" states (Colorado, 1Vew riexico, Utah and Wyoming),'the Upper Division commissioners werP hardly in a position to return home and ir.form their people that they had bargained away over half of the Colorado River to the Lower Basin. At this point, a happy compromise almost effect that the Upper Basin should be allowed acre-feet of water in order ta bring its total the same figure agreed on for the Lower Basin. occurred to the another million allocation to The result would -4-