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• <br />2 Consumptive Uses and Losses <br />consultation with the States of the Lower Basin individually and with the Upper Colorado <br />River Commission, and shall be transmitted to the President, the Congress, and to the <br />Governors of each State signatory to the Colorado River Compact. <br />PLAN OF STUDY <br />The Plan of Study and Methods Manual for the Colorado River System Consumptive Uses <br />and Losses Report 1985 -1990 was prepared and submitted in July 1992. These <br />procedures were generally followed in the preparation of this report. Any changes in <br />methodology are presented in the Methodology and Data Adequacy section of this report. <br />STUDY REPORTING AREAS <br />The drainage area of the Colorado River System in the United States is approximately <br />242,000 square miles. The river originates in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and <br />Wyoming, flows southwest about 1,400 miles, and terminates in the Gulf of California. The <br />system consists of portions of seven states: Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, <br />Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. The drainage area was divided into nine subbasins for the <br />purposes of this report. <br />The Colorado River Compact, signed November 24, 1922, was established because the <br />Upper Basin States were concerned that any storage on the river would be put to use more <br />rapidly by the Lower Basin States, thus allowing them to claim prior appropriative rights. The <br />Upper Basin States wanted provisions for their future development. <br />The term "Upper Basin States" refers to the States of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and <br />Wyoming. "Lower Basin States" refers to the States of Arizona, California, and Nevada. <br />However, the Upper Colorado River Basin refers to the hydrologic boundaries. Lee Ferry is <br />the division point between the Upper Colorado River Basin and the Lower Colorado River <br />Basin. Therefore, the hydrologic boundaries include portions of Arizona in the Upper <br />Colorado River Basins and portions of Utah and New Mexico in the Lower Colorado River <br />Basin. Hydrologic boundaries are shown on the map on page ii. <br />The major tributary streams selected as reporting areas in the Upper Colorado River Basin <br />are: Green River (Wyoming, Colorado, Utah), Upper Main Stem (Colorado, Utah), and San <br />Juan - Colorado (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona). <br />Five tributary areas in addition to the main stem were selected in the Lower Colorado River <br />Basin: Little Colorado River (Arizona, New Mexico), Virgin River (Utah, Arizona), Muddy <br />River (Nevada), Bill Williams River (Arizona), Gila River (Arizona, New Mexico), and <br />remaining areas in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. The outflow point and drainage area for <br />each is shown in table C -1. The boundaries of the reporting areas are shown on the map on <br />page ii. A brief description of each reporting area follows. <br />