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<br />In other words, the Commission's position regarding Lake Powell was that the <br /> <br />Bureau should fill the Lake as soon as possible for the benefit of the Upper <br /> <br />Division States without infringing on any rights recognized by the Colorado <br /> <br />River Compact. <br /> <br />The Lower Basin's position on the waters stored in Lake Powell was <br /> <br />predictably different. The lack of an operating criteria favored the Lower <br /> <br />Basin States, since they could simply request releases from Lake Powell for <br /> <br />their use and benefit. Requested releases were made unless they violated the <br /> <br />temporary filling criteria, with little concern for the possible long-term <br /> <br />impairment of the Upper Basin's entitlement under Article III of the Colorado <br /> <br />River Compact. The situation became serious enough that the Commission <br /> <br />passed a resolution on June 10, 1964 calling for the Secretary of the <br /> <br />Interior and the Attorney General of the United States to stop an estimated <br /> <br />100,000 acre-feet of illegal diversions per year from the lower reaches of <br /> <br />the Colorado River. <br /> <br />The Colorado River Basin Project Act of 1968 was to be the vehicle that <br /> <br />would once and for all create "Peace on the Colorado." Passage of the Act <br /> <br />was sought to allow construction of the Central Arizona Project to convey <br /> <br />waters to the Phoenix-Tucson areas. In exchange for their support of the <br /> <br />Central Arizona Project, the Upper Basin States insisted that the Lower Basin <br /> <br />States reciprocate and support construction of projects in the Upper Basin. <br /> <br />The compromise reached provided for additional Upper Basin projects, <br /> <br />including the Animas-La Plata Project. The agreement also included congres- <br /> <br />sional modification of Article IV of the Supreme Court decree in Arizona v. <br /> <br />California (376 U.S. 340) to provide an apportionment of the flows in the <br /> <br />Gila River Basin between New Mexico and Arizona (P.L. 90-537, sec. 304(f)(1) <br /> <br />and (2)). The Act also directed the Secretary of the Interior to consult <br /> <br />6 <br />