WSPC01049

• File Number: 8040.950
• Description: Section D General Studies - General Water Studies
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 4/1/1971
• Author: Unknown
• Title: Western United States Water Plan Study - Western US Water Plan - Proposed Plan of Study - Official Review Draft
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

April 1, 1971

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201 which is to develop a general plan to meet the future water needs
of the entire Western United States, He is expected to make such
recommendations with respect to feasibility studies as are justified
and appropriate, including feasibility studies of augmentation oppor-
tunities within 'the Colorado River Basin States. Also, it is intended
that the Secretary, when the 10-year moratorium on studies of impor-
tation from outside the Colorado Basin States comes to an end, will
conduct such additional reconnaissance investigations as are justified
of importation from outside the Colorado River Basin States and
make such recommendations with respect to feasibility studies as are
warranted. He will do this pursuant to existing authority and in the
light of the investigations and studies he has completed up to that
time.
The importance to the central Arizona project and to the entire
West of the westwide water planning provided for in this legislation
cannot be overemphasized. While there is disagreement with respect
to time, the cold fact remains that eventually the water supply for
the central Arizona project from mainstream Colorado River water
will be reduced to less than 300,000 acre-feet annually unless aug-
mentation becomes a reality, .
The remainder of the language in title II adopted by the committee
of conference is the language of the House amendment with one minor
clarifying change. Section 202 warrants special mention. This section
is a congressional declaration that satisfaction of the water require-
ments of the Mexican Water Treaty constitutes a national obligation
which shall be the first charge agamst any augmentation project. It
relieves both the upper basin and the lower basin from the Colorado
River compact requirement covering deliveries of water to Mexico
at such time as the Secretary of the Interior determines and proclaims
that means are available and in operation for delivering annually into
the Colorado River system sufficient water to satisfy the Mexican
Treaty water requirements together with associated losses. A further
provision in the House amendment made such relief to the Colorado
River Basin States contingent upon the authorization of a plan to
augment the Colorado River water supply by 2jf million acre-feet
annually. This provision is retained in the conference version of
S. 1004 which, however, adds clarifying language to indicate that
such plan has not only to be authorized but also to be in operation to
the extent of providing the additional water necessary to satisfy the
Mexican Water Treaty requirements.

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,In addition to authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to

conduct the investigations, the Act provides for coordination with

activities under the Water Resources Planning Act. In words of the

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Conference Report Section 201, " * * * provides for coordinated

Federal water planning on a westwide basis." Many Federal agencies

are involved in water and related land resource planning in the West

and will participate in the study under authorities available to them.

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