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<br />
<br />2
<br />
<br />STANFORD LAW REVIEW
<br />
<br />[Vol. '9: Page 1
<br />
<br />the United States and the Republic of Mexico, which produced the Treaty
<br />With Mexico Respecting Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana
<br />Rivers and of the Rio Grande,' will be discussed in a subsequent article.
<br />
<br />J. DESCRIPTION OF TIiE BASIN
<br />
<br />A. Upp~r Basin
<br />
<br />r. Physical d~scription.
<br />
<br />The Colorado River Basin is divided both physically and politically into
<br />two divisions, the Upper and the Lower Basins. The river and its tributaries
<br />drain some 1I0,000 square miles in the Upper Basin.' The main stream
<br />originates in the 14,0()(}.feet-high peaks of the Colorado Rocky Mountains,
<br />whence it flows through high mountain valleys into the arid plateau of
<br />western Colorado and eastern Utah, where it has cut deep and spectacularly
<br />beautiful canyons. The main stream is joined by two principal tributaries
<br />in this area, the Green River, which rises in Wyoming, and the Gunnison
<br />River, which rises in the Rocky Mountains south of the main stream. The
<br />Gunnison contributes an average of nearly 2 million acre-feet of water to
<br />the stream annually,' and the Green contributes 4.7 million acre-feet.'
<br />The main stream is also joined by a third large tributa: y, the San Juan
<br />River, in the arid plateau region of southern Utah, downstream from the
<br />Green and the Gunnison. The San Juan, which contributes an annual
<br />average of 2 million acre-feet to the stream,' originates in the high moun-
<br />tains of the southwestern corner of Colorado and in its upper reaches flows
<br />through fertile mountain valleys in Colorado and New Mexico. Farther
<br />downstream it winds through canyons in the barren and deeply eroded
<br />desert plateau of New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona. The San Juan is a prin-
<br />cipal contributor to the heavy silt load of the main stream in the Lower
<br />Basin.'
<br />Below the junction of the main stream and the San Juan, the Colorado
<br />meanders through desert plateaus to Lee Ferry, Arizona, the division point
<br />between the Upper and Lower Basins under the Colorado River Compact
<br />of 1922 and the point at which the Upper Basin's delivery obligation is
<br />calculated. While the average annual historic flow at Lee Ferry for the
<br />period 191 r-191'0 was 13,017,000 acre-feet,' the discharge fluctuates widely
<br />from year to year. For example, in r952 the flow was r7,980,000 acre-feet;
<br />
<br />3. Feb. 3,19'14. 59 Stat. J219. T.S. No. 994 (effective Nov. 8. J945).
<br />04. S. R~p. No. 128, 84th Cong., ut Sen. 2 (1955").
<br />5. U.S. Gi.OL~ICAl. SURV1:T. WATER SUPPLY PAPER No. 17J3. SURFACE WATER SUPPLY OF THE
<br />UNITED STATES J32 (J96o).
<br />6. Id. at 283.
<br />7. Id. at 3J.4.
<br />8. u.S. DEP'T OF INTERIOR, THE CoLOIlAlXl RIVER 36 (J946) [hereinafter cilro as COLOkADO
<br />RIV1:R].
<br />9. U.S. GEOLOGICAl. SURV1:T. 01'. at. suprlJ note 5. at 335.
<br />
<br />November J 9
<br />
<br />just two yeo
<br />feet." Thes
<br />storagc unit
<br />tions under
<br />
<br />2. Eco11l
<br />The Up'
<br />Its largest (
<br />The twO pr,
<br />tain valleys
<br />limited by .
<br />pendent up
<br />ing downst
<br />soils so sha'
<br />is limited t
<br />from flashl
<br />cuhies and
<br />The sec,
<br />from the ea
<br />order ly dC\
<br />and gas in,'
<br />industry in
<br />is consume
<br />needed to ,
<br />upper reacl
<br />future con!
<br />irrigation."
<br />crude oil,"
<br />veloping aI
<br />A limit,
<br />
<br />10. J3 UF
<br />Jl. I u.s
<br />TJON; J960, pt.
<br />J 2, CoLO}
<br />'3. Id.at
<br />I". j: PRE
<br />TUU 365 (r95
<br />15. Ibid.
<br />16. /d. at
<br />17. Id. at
<br />J 8. CoLOI
<br />19. TE.N]
<br />20. Id. at
<br />21. Appr(
<br />However, shale
<br />BrlMt lh~ S"l
<br />ItulIl.AOtzirs.
<br />:::1:2. T5,N}
<br />
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