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<br />U01870 <br /> <br />The upper division states have the right to impound water for gen- <br />eration of electricity subject to the provisions of the compact, in- <br />cluding the provision that agricultural and domestic purposes are <br />specifically made dominant purposes under the compact. <br /> <br />Article IV(b) of the compact states as follows: <br /> <br />Subject to the provisions of this compact, water of the Colorado <br />River system may be impounded and used for the generation of the <br />electric power, but such impounding and uses shall be subservient to <br />the uses and consumption of such water for agriculture and domestic <br />purposes and shall not interfere with or prevent use for such dominant <br />purposes. <br /> <br />Now the language of IV(b) is not limited in any way whatsoever so <br />far as one division of the basin is concerned. It is a provision <br />which applies equally to the upper division and the lower division. <br />It establishes a paramountcy of water uses, a paramountcy which is <br />given to domestic and agricultural purposes. That was established <br />policy under reclamation law from the beginning of its origins and <br />also was embodied in the State laws of, I believe, every state in the <br />basin. <br /> <br />There is nothing new or unusual in the words of this article IV(b) <br />of the compact. It was not intended in any way whatsoever, in our <br />judgment, to impose some new and novel limitation on the use of the <br />waters of the Colorado River in the upper division. <br /> <br />We do not and cannot interpret the language in that way. <br /> <br />There is no limitation whatsoever in that language as to where <br />power might be generated in the river. There is no mention whatsoever <br />of either of the divisions of the basin. It is a provision which <br />applies equally to the two divisions. <br /> <br />Article III (a) of the compact apportions exclusive beneficial con- <br />sumptive use of 7~ million acre-feet per annum to each basin. <br /> <br />SENATOR KUCHEL. Is that your interpretation, there is no question <br />in your mind that 7,500,000 acre-feet are allocated to the upper and <br />lower basin annually. <br /> <br />MR. BENNETT. I would say this: The apportionment in article III (a) <br />of the compact is an apportionment to both basins equally and on a <br />parity, subject only to limitations and restrictions as reasonably <br />interpreted from other provisions of the compact. <br /> <br />7 <br />