2003

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 2003
• Author: U.S. Department of the Interior.
• Title: Quality of Water, Colorado River Basin.
• USFW Year: 1985.
• USFW - Doc Type: Progress Report No. 12,
• Copyright Material: NO

PART I

INTRODUCTION

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by the Secretary pursuant to section 15 of the Colorado River
Storage Project Act (70 Stat. 111; 43 U.S.C. 602n), section 15
of the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project, and the initial stage
of the San Juan-Chama Project Act (76 Stat. 102), and section
6 of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Act (76 Stat. 393)."

Nothing in this report is intended to interpret the provision of
the Colorado River Compact (45 Stat. 1057), the Upper Colorado River
Basin Compact (63 Stat. 31)," the Water Treaty of 1944 with the United
Mexican States (Treaty Series 994; 59 Stat. 1219), the decree entered by
the Supreme Court of the United States in Arizona vs. California"et a1.
(376 U.S. 340), the Boulder Canyon Project Act (45 Stat. 1057), the
Boulder Canyon Project Adjustment Act (54 Stat. 774; 43 U.S.C. 618a),
the Colorado River Storage Project Act (70 Stat. 105; 43 U.S.C. 620), or
the Colorado River Basin Project Act (82 Stat. 885; 43 U.S.C. 1501).

B. Previous Reports and Cooperating Agencies

A series of 11 reports starting with the 1963 edition has been pre-
pared prior to this report. Each succeeding report updated the previous
report.

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This report was prepared by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation)
and utilizes basic data provided primarily by the U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS). A continuing cooperative program between Reclamation and USGS,
in effect for a number of years, provides for the collection of stream-
flow data at stations other than basic data stations maintained by USGS
in order to obtain additional information at key points in the basin.

In the Upper Basin. data are obtained at various points along the
river and in drains cooperatively with the USGS and other agencies.
Along the main stem in the Lower Basin, data are obtained on a regular
basis at stations that include essentially all significant diversions,
surface return flows, and major river points. Reclamation is the lead
agency of an ongoing task force for coordinating the collection of other
quali ty data in the Lower Basin. Other members of the task force
include representatives from the USGS, International Boundary and Water
Commission, and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

C. Legal Aspects

1. Water Quantity

Apportionment of Colorado River water has been accomplished by
the Colorado River Compact of 1922, the Mexican Treaty of 1944, the
Upper Colorado River Basin Compact of 1948, and the U.S. Supreme Court
(State of Arizona vs. California et al., 1964).

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The first of these, the Colorado River Compact, divided the
Colorado River between the Upper and Lower Basins at Lee Ferry (just

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