Chapter 1: Summary of "The Law of the River"

• Description: Gunnison RICD
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 1/1/3000
• Title: Chapter 1: Summary of "The Law of the River"
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

CHAPTER I
Acre -feet
Priority Description Annually
9
1
Palo Verde irrigation District - )
gross area of 104,500 acres )
2
Yuma Project (Reservation Division) - )
3,850,000
not exceeding a gross area of 25,000 acres )
3(a)
Imperial Irrigation District and lands in )
Imperial and Coachella Valleys to be served )
by AAC )
3(b)
Palo Verde Irrigation District - 16,000 acres of )
mesa lands )
4
Metropolitan Water District and /or City of Los
550,000
Angeles and /or others on coastal plain
5(a)
Metropolitan Water District and /or City of Los
Angeles and /or others on coastal plain
550,000
5(b)
City and /or County of San Diego
112,000
6(a)
Imperial Irrigation District and lands in )
300,000
Imperial and Coachella Valley )
6(b)
Palo Verde Irrigation District - 16,000 acres of )
mesa lands )
TOTAL 5,362,000
The Secretary of the Interior placed the California Seven Party Agreement of August 18, 1931, in effect by
general regulations dated September 28, 1931. The provisions of the Seven Party Agreement were also in-
corporated by the Secretary in substantially the same form in each of the subsequent California water delivery
contracts entered into by the Secretary.
Note that the first three California priorities total 3.85 maf /yr and are for agricultural uses. Note also that
the first four California priorities total 4.4 maf and equate to that quantity to which California is held by its
Limitation Act. The 4.4 maf is also the quantity accorded a priority over the Central Arizona Project by Sec-
tion 301(b) of the Colorado River Basin Project Act (see Part M.; see Appendix 1 D.1 for text of California
Seven Party Agreement) .
E. Water Delivery Contracts For Colorado River Water in the Lower Colorado River Basin
During the period 1930 -1934 the Secretary of the Interior, pursuant to the Boulder Canyon Project Act,
executed contracts on behalf of the United States with five California agencies (Imperial Irrigation District,
Palo Verde Irrigation District, The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Coachella Valley
County Water District and the City of San Diego) for the delivery of water from Lake Mead, subject to the
availability thereof, for use in California under the Compact and Project Act. As noted in D. above, the
priorities assigned to each contractor and the quanti ties of water to be made.available therefor under these
contracts could, in the aggregate, call for the delivery of 5,362,000 acre -feet of water per year. There is no
water delivery contract with the State of California. itself similar to those with the States, of Nevada and
Arizona.
By contracts dated March 30,_ 1942, and January 3, 1944, made by the Secretary of the Interior with the
State of Nevada, the United States agreed to deliver to Nevada from Lake Mead storage so much water as
might be necessary to supply the State with a total quantity of water from the Colorado River System not to
exceed 300,000 acre -feet per year, subject to the availability thereof for use in Nevada under the Compact
and Project Act.
The State of Arizona entered into a contract with the Secretary of the Interior on February 9, 1944,
wherein the United States agreed to deliver annually to Arizona and its water users from storage in Lake
Mead so much water as might be necessary for irrigation and domestic uses in Arizona of a maximum of