<br />1305
<br />
<br />17. DISCUSSION OF LOWER :BASIN SUMMARY
<br />
<br />and in the Lower BaSin, including the Gila River, will aggrec;a.te 8,762,300
<br />acre feet annually;
<br />The potential power, irrigation and other projects listed in the Report,
<br />if and when constructed, will cause depletions in the three divisions of
<br />2,310,300 acre feet, and bring the total therein to 9,922,600 acre feet, which
<br />is 591,600 acre feet more than the estimated water supply available to said
<br />division; and including the Gila Basin will bring the total depletions in the
<br />Lower :Basin to 11,092,600 acre feet annually, which is 2,592,600 acre feet
<br />more than the 8,500,000 acre feet heretofore apportioned to the Lower Basin
<br />by Par. (a) and (b) of Art. III of the Colorado River Compact,
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />The Report might properly state that any right to the use of any waters
<br />of the Colorado River system which the United States of America shall recognize
<br />in the United States of Mexico shall be supplied first from the surplus over
<br />and above the 7,500,000 acre feet allocated to the Upper Basin and the
<br />8,500,000 acre feet allocated to the Lower Basin by Par. (a) and (b) of Art. III
<br />of the Colorado River Compact; that any surplus thereafter remaining is subject
<br />to further equitable apportionment, as provided in the Colorado River Compact,
<br />at any time after Oct 1, 1963, if and when either Basin shall have reached its
<br />total beneficial consumptive use as set out in Par. (a) and (b); and that the
<br />allowances herein made for future use, and the potential depletions herein
<br />listed, are subject to all provisions, including those above mentioned, of the
<br />Colorado River Compact.
<br />
<br />The Report should also point out that the water supplies available for
<br />utilization in the Boulder division under normal climatic conditions, can be
<br />maintained under drought cycle cnnditions such as 1931-1940. While the flow
<br />at Lee Ferry may decline from a normal average (under ultimate upstream
<br />development) of 8,771,000 acre feet to an average of 7,500,000 acre feet in a
<br />drought decade, the difference of 1,271,000 acre feet can be supplied from
<br />existing and potential reservoirs in the u:>wer :Basin, - that being among the
<br />purposes for which such reservoirs have been and will be constructed.
<br />
<br />Final Note: Time has not permitted this review to cover Chap. VI and Chap. VII
<br />entitled: "Wealth from Water," nor the Eight Appendices to the
<br />Report. Chap. III: "Dividing the Water," between the two nations
<br />and the two :Basins, should be critically reviewed by those familiar
<br />with the Proposed Treaty and with the Colorado River Compact and
<br />related documents, particularly in the light of modifications
<br />suggested by the State of California.
<br />
<br />(27)
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