WSPC04582

• File Number: 8200.500
• Description: Colorado River - Colorado River Basin - Colorado River Basin General Strategy
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 1/7/1976
• Author: CWCB
• Title: Synopsis of Major Documents and Events Relating to the Colorado River
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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beneficial consumptive use of the Gila River and its
tributaries within the boundaries of said State, and (4)
that the waters of the Gila River and its tributaries,
except return flow after the same enters the Colorado
River, shall never be subject to any diminution whatever
by any allowance of water which may be made by treaty or
otherwise to the United States of Mexico but if, as pro-
vided in paragraph (c) of Article III of the Colorado
River compact, it shall become necessary to supply water
to the United States of V~xico from waters over and above the
quantities which are surplus as defined by said compact, then
the State of California shall and will mutually agree with
the State of Arizona to supply, out of the main stream of
the Colorado River, one half of any deficiency which might be
supplied to Mexico by the lower basin,. and (5) that the State
of California shall and will further mutually agree.with the
States of Arizona and Nevada that none of said three States
shall withhold water and none shall require the delivery of
water, which cannot reasonably be applied to domestic and
agricultural uses, and (6) that all of the provisions of
said tri-State agreement shall be subject in all particulars
to the provisions of the Colorado River compact, and (7)
said agreement to take effect upon the ratification of the
Colorado River compact by Arizona, California, and Nevada,"

In order to make the foregoing division of water fully effec-
tive. the Congress further provided in the project act that the
aet would not take effect

". . . . . . until the State 'of California, bJ! act:.
of its legislature, shall agree irrevocably and uncondi-
tionally with the United States and for the benefit of
the States of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah.
and Wyoming, as an express covenant and in consideration
of the passage of this act, that the aggregate annual
consumptive use (diversions less returns to the river) of
water of and from the Colorado River for use in the State
of California, including all uses under contracts made
under the provisions of this act and all water necessary
for the supply of any right which may now exist, shall not
exceed four million four hundred thousand acre-feet of the
waters apportioned to the lower basin States by paragraph
(a) of Article III of the Colorado River compact, plus not
more than one-half of any excess or surplus waters unappor.
tioned by said compact, such uses always to be subject to
the terms of said compact."

In order to get the Boulder Canyon Project constructed, the
State of California at this point had little alternative except
to agree to the terms of the proj ect act. This was done by the
legislature of California in 1929. The lower basin states, however,
never entered into the agreement suggested by the project act.

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