BOARD00836

• Board Meeting Date: 9/6/1956
• Description: Minutes and Resolution
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

461

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(1) In the report the following statement is made;
mrhe average annual release of Texas water of 790,000 acre feet,
as defined by the Rio Grande Compact, was made from these
reservoirs each year of study.n

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The Rio Grande Compact recognizes a need for"a
normal release from nproject Storagen of 790,000 acre feet per year,
but Colorado does not agree that this should be construed'
as an average annual release from nproject Storagen under all
conditions of tlasin water supply. The term nproject Storagen
is defined in the Rio Grande Compact as nthe combined capacity of
Elephant Butte Reservoir and all other reservoirs actually
available for the storage of usable water below Elephant Butte
and above the first diversion to lands of the Rio Grande Project,
but not more than a total of 2,638,860 acre feet.n

(2) The following statements are also in the report;
nColorado has an obligation to deliver water at the Colorado-
New Mexico state line based upon the relationship between the
inflow and outflow of the San Luis Valley for the years 1928 to
1937 inclusive, the total run-off in the basin subject to Compact
provisions, the amount of water stored in Elephant Butte and
Caballo reservoirs, and the credit or debit status of Colorado
under the Compact.n "Although official computations have not
been made since 1951, unofficial computations indicate that as of
December 31, 1954, Colorado would have an accrued debit of 231,900
acr~-feet.n

Colorado recognizes an obligation, under terms
of the Compact, to deliver certain quantities of water on an
annual basis at the State Line. Colorado also recognizes that
there has been an apparent under-delivery of water at the State
Line during the recent drought period, and the State has spent.
considerable time and money on studies to determine reasons for
this apparent under-delivery. However, as is mentioned in the
Report, Colorado emphasizes that the status of debits and credits
of the respective States has not been" officially determined 'by
the Rio Grande Compact Commission since 1951.

d. The followin~ statement is quoted from the report;
nUnder Colorado law, all direct-flow rights are senior to storage
rights.n Colorado Court decisions in the late 1920's decreed
that water shall be distributed according to priority date whether
for direct flow or for storage.

e. The chart contained in the report indicating
reservoir operation is incorrect in one of the years of the
period shown, in that the line portraying indicated debit water
in storaqe cannot ever show a larger quantity than the line showing
total content.

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