BOARD00822

• Board Meeting Date: 4/27/1953
• Description: Minutes and Resolution
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

168

A BILL

Relating to the release of water from the Elephant Butte
Reservoir, New Mexico.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That notwithstanding any provision of the reclamation
laws, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the
Bureau of Reclamation, shall regulate the release'of
the waters impounded by the Elephant Butte Dam in
New Mexico so as to maintain in the Elephant Butte
Reservoir that amount of water which is necessary for
the preservation of the fish and wildlife in such
reservoir.

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He also read his letter of March 23 to Senator Millikin
calling attention to the reference to Chairman Kramer's remarks
in the Minutes.

Mr. Beaty stated, "My opinion is that you will never get
those fellows to agree to anything down there unless you get
Congress and State Legislature to approve."

Mr. Breitenstein said, "You all must realize that
Senator Anderson's Bill raises a very important question - "Who
has the. right to store how much water in New Mexico?"

Mr. Riter replied, "We thought they were lined up to do
it, in Federal Court of Appeals. By the time the question was
settled it was too late - irrigation had passed."

Mr. Breitenstein suggested recommending to Senator
Millikin that we do not want such a bill passed.

Mr. Bailey asked the Board what action it wished to
take in this matter.

Mr. Dutcher moved "That the Colorado Water Conservation
Board go on record as notifying Senator Millikin and our other
representatives in Congress that we do not want a Bill similar
to the Anderson Bill introduced covering the John Martin Reservoir
as such a bill is diametrically opposed to the policies here-
tofore established by this Board."

Mr. Beaty seconded the motion - it was unanimously
carried.

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