WSP01657

• File Number: 8200.300.40.A
• Description: Colorado River Compact
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 4/2/1922
• Author: Colorado River Com.
• Title: Hearing of the Colorado River Interstate Compact Commission, Cheyenne Wyoming April 2 1922
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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it is thiJ.t 211 stJ.tcs ::'1.' ~)<.:;opl(:~ t o~.. l(:,u(:. OlJi'J6l'.s t WhOS8

12.nds bo;rder U~;O~1 [I. !'uDrinE; str0c;.in, h2.vt.. t~le ri,;:i-~'~ to enjoy

tIle na'~u:l'zl HSC of th0 \7atL:rS 01 ttz.t s~:rL.~m :for G..n:r~ If;~~;itimate

or ~rO)Dr ?urpoae. ~h~t rul~ is ~r&ct~cally universal. In

thi~ region we have a eloctri:']" \Vi)j.ch 118S b:Odi1 ,1uilt U) in the

last f~fty YObru, known aa the doctricw of }riorlty of approp-

riation, \':hi:::h is supposcd to be o~):)os00. to tL0 :c'i)erian rub"

at1U thi,V Cb'.'lJ(lt 1J0 r"con(;iLld. 1'1108<; t.,w rule:; ac'" thl.

rc.;sult 0:': tl10 6X)C'10nCe of ;]Gn in th0 ccnd.'J.ot of thdi"' aff211's

in tLe l).B(' 0-: 2.)J1icatioD oi \lratc::;y. ~i0!'0 r.;ccr..tly \iJ6 ha.vt.. hacl

tl1U doctriD~ ?ut lorwa~d by 0Lnato~ Car~8nte~ fend his ~s~ociates

in Color&do that tho states, or at lc&st so~~ of th6 states,
own th" wat~rs vinich arlS0 within th<:-ir limits. I havG d",bat",d
that C[ll~stio,j ,,'ith hifi1 fOT 'ch~ last six years 00 s0vGral OCCdS-
ioos before iiujJrcl'1l" Oou.:t. I muntion i-c as on" of the rul(;G
whicb have b,;.:.n pll'C fornal-d. ~b", puttil"e, for\'la~'d of that relIc
0(;tm;",r Wyomine, ano. Colorad.o luc1 th0 Unitcc1 ::,'c<: tus through th..::
Dvp~rtill0nt 01 Justic~ to put forward anuthvr (ln~. ~hat is th",
rulu that th~ Unit",d 5tet~8 Gov0rnwunt is the ebsolut~ prop-
rhtor (Jf all of th.:. wat"r,'Ii thin thG limits of th(; public land
ar<:-BS of thu country. We th~s hav.:. two r(;CO~niZDd rul~s,
riaprian rithts on th(; on0 hand, aru p~iority of ap)ropriation
on th", otr.or, ~H)il. tl-{Q cow.flGrativ",l:r tl0W dcctr.in08 I,i,ich have
b<:-"n ;Jut forth, all 01 which shoulc. r<.ceivc. cotJsi6_<:-rstion.