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lG23 CONTINUING PROBLEMS All the documents mentioned above, plus a numbet of project authorization acts in addition to that for the giant Colorado River Storage Project in the Upper Basin, constitute the "Law of the River." Despite its large volume, however, and the careful and tedious work that went into its creation, this "Law of the River" has failed [0 resolve satisfactorily the inter- state problems of the Colorado, The rcason is simple: no amount of law can make the Colorado River pro~ duce more \\'3ter. The ri\'cr is rapidl~' going bankrupt. Water Deficiency In the da\'S of the Colorado River Compact negoti- ations, prior to 1922, it \\.'3S assumed on the basis of records and estimates then available that the river system would produce a dependable average annual supply of water as measured at the Lee Ferry compact point of at least 17 million acre-feet. Records made since 1922 have forced the hydrologists to lower their estimates drastically. Nov.: they know that the long- time average, say since 1896, is scarcely 15 million acre- feet; that the average since Compact negotiations is a little less than 14 million; and that the average of the years Since 1930 is only 13 million, (See Appendix 3) 1917 III: II III 1930-196 AVG, I I 1934 These figures are in terms of undepleted flow at Lee Ferry, that is, the quantities that would flow past that point if there were no uses or storage accumulations upstream. Nature has dealt the basin a foul blow, The ri.'er simply does not produce enough water to meet the needs, The growing deficiency cannot be overcome by better conservation, salvage and use or by more studies based solely on the known resources of the Colorado River System. t\10re water must be found. Since as early as 1945 California has repeatedly warned that the waters of the Colorado River System were in great danger of being o\"ercommitted, and that additional developments should be authorized only after careful consideration of the water budget and only with proper safeguards for prior existing uses. Ne\'errheless, the pressure for oe\\-' projects in other states continued, and controversy over the right to use of the water sharpened accordingly, California in self-protection and in order to alert the entire basin and the Congress to the oncoming water shortage \\.'3S forced to oppose the authoriz:Hion of new projects until the water budget of the entire basin could be mote accurately evaluated and the riddle of apportion- ment of water among the states resoh"ed. Despite Cali- fornia's crusade, more projects were authorized, and now the Colorado River System water supply defi- nitely is overcommitted. Still rhe pressure continues, ~lOd the comper-irion for water increases, accompanied by competition for Congressional attention and for fedeml funds with which to build projects, More projects are being pro- posed in the Upper Basin as well as in Arizona; still more are being planned, and are indeed needed,. to in- sure the economic \,,'ell-being and growth which is in the interest of the entire nation. But before they all can function, more water must be added to the fiver. Problems of River Management Water needs of the public in this modern era are becoming greater and more di\'erse. In addition to the necessity for water for domestic, sanitation and indus- trial uses, for raising and processing essential foods and fibres, for air-conditioning and for generation of elec- tric energy, the need for water-oriented recreational opportunity is great. In recent years the lo\'.;er Colo- rado River has become a mecca for tens of thousands of people from Southern California and elsewhere 16