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provided the commission finds that such storage is reasonably necessary to permit such state to make the use of the water apportioned to it by this compact. Article VI The commission shall determine the quantity of the consumptive use of water, which use is apportioned by article III hereof, for the upper basin and for each state of the upper basin by the inflow - outflow method in terms of man -made depletions of the virgin flow at Lee ferry, unless the commission, by unanimous action, shall adopt a different method of determination. Article VII The consumptive use of water by the United States of America or any of its agencies, instrumentalities or wards shall be charged as a use by the state in which the use is made; provided, that such consumptive use incident to the diversion, impounding, or conveyance of water in one state for use in another shall be charged to such latter state. Article VIII (a) There is hereby created an interstate administrative agency to be known as the "Upper Colorado river commission." The commission shall be composed of one commissioner representing each of the states of the upper division, namely, the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, designated or appointed in accordance with the laws of each such state and, if designated by the President, one commissioner representing the United States of America. The President is hereby requested to designate a commissioner. If so designated the commissioner representing the United States of America shall be the presiding officer of the commission and shall be entitled to the same powers and rights as the commissioner of any state. Any four members of the commission shall constitute a quorum. (b) The salaries and personal expenses of each commissioner shall be paid by the government which he represents. All other expenses which are incurred by the commission incident to the administration of this compact, and which are not paid by the United States of America, shall be borne by the four states according to the percentage of consumptive use apportioned to each. On or before December 1 of each year, the commission shall adopt and transmit to the governors of the four states and to the President a budget covering an estimate of its expenses for the following year, and of the amount payable by each state. Each state shall pay the amount due by it to the commission on or before April 1 of the year following. The payment of the expenses of the commission and of its employees shall not be subject to the audit and accounting procedures of any of the four states; however, all receipts and disbursements of funds handled by the commission shall be audited yearly by a qualified independent public accountant and the report of the audit shall be included in and become a part of the annual report of the commission. (c) The commission shall appoint a secretary, who shall not be a member of the commission, or an employee of any signatory state or of the United States of America while so acting. He shall serve for such term and receive such salary and perform such duties as the commission may direct. The commission may employ such engineering, legal, clerical and other personnel as, in its judgment, may be necessary for the performance of its functions under this compact. In the hiring of employees, the commission shall not be bound by the civil service laws of any state. (d) The commission, so far as consistent with this compact, shall have the power to: (1) Adopt rules and regulations; (2) Locate, establish, construct, abandon, operate and maintain water gauging stations; (3) Make estimates to forecast water run -off on the Colorado river and any of its tributaries; (4) Engage in co- operative studies of water supplies of the Colorado river and its tributaries; (5) Collect, analyze, correlate, preserve and report on data as to the stream flows, storage, diversions and use of the waters of the Colorado river, and any of its tributaries; (6) Make findings as to the quantity of water of the upper Colorado river system used each year in the upper Colorado river basin and in each state thereof;