BOARD00231

• Board Meeting Date: 11/8/1961
• Description: Minutes
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

I

I

MR. PETERSON:

MR. DUNBAR:

MR. PETERSON:

MR. MOSES:

MR. STAPLETON:

MR. MOSES:

MR. DUNBAR:

anything that would prevent that, in reading
this over. As a matter of fact, I think for our
own protection we ought to become members. Let's
join them and that way we'll know what's going
on. It

"As I understand it, Mr. Dunbar, you have
read all of the articles."

"I have read it here, yes. What is there in
it that you have any doubts about?"

"I haven't read it yet. I don't know."

"Mr. Chairman."

IIMr. Moses.1I

"I don't think this is the place to take a
position one way or another on this but I would
like to tell you what I think is the answer to
one question that you raised, Mr. Chairman, as
to why all of the states except Colorado and
Wyoming were initially members. Under the
peculiar language of the Colorado River Compact,
New Mexico and utah are both upper and lower
basin states. In other words, New Mexico has a
portion of its territory which is in the lower
basin. That's the headwaters of the Gila. Utah
has a portion of Utah which is in the lower
basin. That's the headwaters of the Virgin River.
So there is a technical reason, I think you can
say, why the five states were initially members
and Colorado and Wyoming were invited, because
Colorado and Wyoming are the only two purely
upper basin states that have no waters in the
drainage of any of the lower basin rivers."
..

"This provision that I read is in the same
manner - it sounds like a veto privilege in the
United Nations. If we object to a policy that's
being voted on, or if we are a little doubtful
about it, we can withhold our vote until our
representative comes back and consults with the
Water Conservation Board."