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<br />1IMIi-.,. July 19. 1962; Detmr 1., CoIo. -ROCKY ~~TAlH NEW5-1
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<br />Congres8i'nB~alk
<br />Colorado Water
<br />Diversion Study
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<br />WASHINGTON, July 18-(UPI)-Colorado River Basin
<br />state congressmen have quietly blocked, for the time being
<br />, at least, any feasil>i1ity studies of a bypass canal to divert
<br />salty water away from Mexico's Lower California irrigation
<br />Such a canal) from the Welton~ . .- - - --~---
<br />problems for the entire Lower
<br />Mohawk Irrigation District near Colorado Basin.
<br />;;~I~,a, w~~Z;m~~g b~~~~m~~~~~~ The conditions were attached
<br />solutivns to the Colorado water at the behest of basin state con-
<br />river salinity problem, which is gressmen who fear their tradi-
<br />nHW subject to Mexican-U.S. dip- tjooal water rights' may be jeop-
<br />lomatic.. technical and legal study. al'ctized if the State Department,
<br />Mexican larme)',:: ,in the Mexi- under White House pressure,
<br />cali Valley coniplained last winter. rushes into a convenience agree-
<br />and spring that salt water flowing ment with Mexico in the inien::,t
<br />aC'J'oss the border was r u j n i n g of continued good relations.
<br />their crops, This threatened to Championed Terms
<br />disrupt -U.S.-Mexican relations, Sen, Carl Hayden (D-Al'iz).
<br />Available Funds ehainnan 01 the powerful Sen.'"
<br />Appropriations Committee, htl3
<br />An initial $50,000 has been re- championed the thesis that tern)to
<br />programmed from available funds
<br />'to allow the U.S. Bureau of Rec- of the 1944 treaty must remain in-
<br />lHmation to begin feasibility stud- violate. He has been backed by
<br />j('S of proposed solutions to- the other basin state congressmen,
<br />~;aJinity pro b I e ffi. The White most notably Sen. -Clinton P. An-
<br />House has urged fast action. derson (D-NM)I chairman of the
<br />subcorr>--mittee on irrigation and
<br />But the House and Senate Ap- reclamation. .
<br />propriations Committees, in ap- Au additio-n'al $280,000 is ten-
<br />provi.ng the re~programming, at-
<br />ta<:hed three conditions. In sub- iatively slated for the present
<br />stance, they are: fiscal year to toltow up the sa-
<br />. No feasibUity studies of a Unity studies. n is probable tl\at
<br />bypass channel at this time. restrictive riders wllJ be'a.vpHed
<br />. No investigations of reCOll1- to this aptJropriaUon,
<br />mendations which would resuH in A Mexican-U.s. panel of water
<br />Me X i co' s receiving additional resources experts was eommls-
<br />wRter not charged against her aI- ::;ioned by the Presidents of the
<br />lot'8tions under the 1944 Colorado two Dfltions to stutly th~ problem
<br />Rhtcr Treaty. of salinity in Mexico'.": aibtterJ
<br />. . The_ stud. y ,shaH <,fi(~ompnss I watf:'rs, and to make recommen-
<br />salinity, drainage and irrjgl1tivn dkltion.9".
<br />The results have been iOC(lI!<111~
<br />sive. The t.wo SectiO:1S of th~
<br />panel ('OlJ!d not agree 011 );Jr:Ullap.{'
<br />for a jl)int .rf'lA_.rt, '>0 no c()rnbin('.~l
<br />n';H,t].j 'viP be fortrcOlniq;.
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<br />,:11:. 20 "/62
<br />
<br />UN'ER co, ORADD
<br />H.lV; I 10N
<br />Sd.' l' Ldk\' \:,i. Utah
<br />
<br />Membt>rs Scattered'
<br />'I'lw fh.t, nwmberl"l of thb u.s.
<br />section . ();'P 110'-1-' S(, scatten-Hl Hu:rt
<br />their confjdt'niial report to the
<br />U.S. G()VPf!111H:ill has -not .yet bct'n
<br />feceivt:d b.v Sthti Departlllent 'and
<br />Reclnmation offki~]s who expec't~
<br />ed it two \VI.'eks ago.
<br />Offir-hds of the two I'ountrjes
<br />~-_.-ve until Ociober 1983 to find II
<br />,Jhltion bdore th(' problem ('an
<br />d!(..tin beconu' as a.cute'for Mex-
<br />,- aU Va.ut~Y farmers at is was
<br />~.his Wil1tet"
<br />.The rc('€nt l:~l('ase o~. 28{),OOO
<br />..~T<': feet (if Uj)IWl' bash) st('rage
<br />'-,-:d.':J' to flush the channel ae-
<br />c"unis for thi.s. The watel' j~ like
<br />;;. bonus to Mexlcu over and be~
<br />.\.(liJ(/ the 1.5 million acre feet an-
<br />nu~Hy alluC'ated by the treaty.
<br />SUCh flushing is normal r,ro-
<br />cedure. but when- Glen Canon Dam
<br />on the-. Arizoua-Ulan bol'del i."
<br />complett?d thNe will he no Uhf' e
<br />wItter dvaili'luie for sluiidng. 'Dhe
<br />channel" will ha ve tv be cleared bv
<br />t1i',~ging, .
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