7409

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7409
• Author: U.S. Department of the Interior.
• Title: Quality of Water, Colorado River Basin.
• USFW Year: 1991.
• USFW - Doc Type: Progress Report No. 15,
• Copyright Material: NO

2 Chapter 1 -Introduction

title covering the progress of
investigations, planning, and
construction of salinity control units
for the previous 2 fiscal years; the
effectiveness of such units;
anticipated work needed to be
accomplished in the future to meet the
objectives of this title, with emphasis
on the needs during the 5 years
immediately following the date of each
report; and any special problems that
may be impeding progress in
attaining an effective salinity control
program. Said report may be included
in the biennial report on the quality of
water of the Colorado River Basin
prepared 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 provisions 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).

LEGAL ASPECTS

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 Oourt (State of Arizona vs.
California et a1., 1964).

The Colorado River Compact divided the
Colorado River between the Upper and Lower
Basins at Lee Ferry (just below the confluence of
the Paria River), apportioned to each 7.5 million
acre-feet annually. In addition to this
apportionment, the Lower Basin was given the
right to increase its beneficial consumptive use
by 1 million acre-feet per year. The compact
also contains provisions governing exportation
and obligations to Indian tribes. The Mexican
Treaty of 1944 obligates the United States to
deliver to Mexico 1.5 million acre-feet of
Colorado River water annually.

The Upper Colorado River Basin Compact of
1948 divided and apportioned the water
apportioned to the Upper Basin by the Colorado
River Compact, allocating to Arizona
50,000 acre-feet annually, with the remaining
water allocated to Upper Basin States as follows:
Colorado, 51.75 percent; New Mexico,
11.25 percent; Utah, 23 percent; and Wyoming,
14 percent. The compact permitted the
authorization of Federal projects above Lee
Ferry.

States of the Lower Basin, however, did not
agree to a compact for the apportionment of
waters in the Lower Colorado River Basin;
accordingly, a Supreme Court decree (Arizona
vs. California et a1.) in 1964 allocated use of the
mainstream of the Colorado River below Lee
Ferry among California, Nevada, and Arizona
and ofthe Gila River between Arizona and New
Mexico. Nevada was apportioned
300,000 acre-feet annually, Arizona was
apportioned 2,800,000 acre-feet annually, and
California was apportioned 4,400,000 acre-feet
annually. The decree also permitted Federal
water projects and the development of Indian
tribal lands to proceed.

Water Quality

Although a number of water quality related
legislative actions have been taken on the State
and Federal levels, four Federal acts are of
special significance to the Colorado River
Basin-the Water Quality Act of 1965 and
related amendments, the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972
(Public Law 92-500), the Colorado River Basin