7290

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7290
• Author: Anonymous.
• Title: Comments on Colorado River Flows for Endangered Fishes Under the Colorado River Compact, the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact, and the Treaty with Mexico.
• USFW Year: 1985.
• USFW - Doc Type: \
• Copyright Material: NO

July 19, 1985
LEA

Upper Colorado River Basin Compact of 1948

The following excerpts from the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact
of 1948 are selected as bearing on the questions of flows for the
endangered fishes in the Colorado River and its tributaries. Emphasis
has been added by underlining within the text. This has been prepared
for consideration during the Colorado River endangered fishes
deliberations, and is not to be construed as a summary for other
purposes.

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Article.L.. i!2.. "The major purposes of this Compact are to provide for
the equitable division and apportionment of the use of the waters of the
Colorado River System, the ~ of which ~ apportioned in perpetuity ~
the Upper Basin by the Colorado River Compact ~ secure the
expeditious aRricultural and industrial development of the Upper Basin,
the storaRe of water and to protect life and property from floods."

Article .L..ill. "It is recognized that the Colorado River Compact is in
full force and effect and all provisions hereof are subject thereto."

Article II. Terms are defined in Article II as they are in the Colorado
River Compact, with some additions that are mainly common hydrologic
terms and with their generally accepted definitions.

Article III, i!2.. "Subject to the provisions and limitations contained
in the Colorado River Compact and in this Compact, there is hereby
apportioned _ from the Upper Colorado River System in perpetuitv to the
States of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, respectively,
the consumptive ~ of water as follows:

(1) To the State of Arizona the consumptive use of 50,000 acre-
feet of water per annum.

(2) To the States of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming,
respectively, the consumotive ~ per annum of the quantities resulting
from the application of the following percentages to the total quantity
of consumptive ~ per annum apportioned in perpetuity to and available
for use each year by the Upper Basin under the Colorado River Compact
and remaining after the deduction of the use, not to exceed 50,000 acre-
feet per annum, made in the State of Arizona."

The percentages are specified as: Colorado, 51.75 percent; New
Mexico, 11.25 percent; Utah, 23.00 percent; and Wyoming, 14.00 percent.

Article III, ikL. Paragraph (b) qualifies the apportionment made to the
respective States under paragraph (a):

"(1) The apportionment is of any and all man-made depletions;

(2) Beneficial use is the basis, the ~easure and the limit of the
right to use ...".

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