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<br />\. <br />, . <br /> <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />Prepared November 4, 1946 <br /> <br />SUMUARY DATA <br />REPUBLICAN RIVER COMPACT <br /> <br />Negotiated and signed by Compact Commissioners and Federal Representative <br />at Lincoln, Nebraska, December 31, 1942. <br /> <br />Ratified by the State of Colorado, March 15, 1943. <br />Ratified by the State of Kansas, Februazy 22, 1943. <br />Ratified by the State of Nebraska~ February 24, 1943. <br /> <br />Approved by the Congress of the United States, May 26, 1943. <br /> <br />Compact Commissionersl <br />M. C. Hinderlider, Commissioner for Colorado. <br />George S. Knapp, Commissioner for Kansss,. <br />Wardner G . Scott, Commissioner for Nebraska. <br />Glenn L. Parker, Representative cf the United States. <br /> <br />Major Purposes of the Compactl <br /> <br />"* * * * to provide for the most efficient use of the waters of <br />the Republican River Basin * * * for multiple purposes; to provide for an <br />equitable division of such waters; to remove all causes, present and future, <br />which might lead to controversies; to promote interstate comity; to . <br />recognize that the most efficient utilization of the waters within the Basin <br />is for beneficial consumptive use; and to promote joint action by the States <br />and the United States in the efficient use of water and control of destructive <br />floods" . <br /> <br />Area Involved: <br /> <br />The Basin is all the area in Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska, <br />which is naturally drained by the Republican River, and its tributaries, to its <br />junction with the Smoky Hill River in Kansas. The total drainage area is <br />approximately 25,000 ,quare miles. <br /> <br />Background Data: <br /> <br />The Je gislatures of Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska, in 1941, <br />ratified a former Compact allocating the waters of the Republican River Basin. <br />That Compact was later approved by the Congress of the United States. The Act <br />providing for Congressional approval, however, was vetoed by the President. The <br />vet'<l message of the President 8et forth, in SUbstance, that the Compact failed <br />to protect adequately the interests of the United States. <br /> <br />.\ <br />'ll <br /> <br />The Federal government has claimed jurisdiction over the waters <br />of the Basin for the production of hydro-electric energy, the maintenance of <br />navigable capacity within and without the Basin, and in the interest of flood <br />control, all of which in general are of a non-consumptive character. <br /> <br />The approved new Compact, however, is designed to protect the <br />States' interests in these waters by a recognition that the most efficient <br />utilization of the waters within the Basin is for beneficial consumptive use. <br />There will be no Federal jurisdictien over these waters that would interfere wit~ <br />the full beneficial consumptive use of the waters within the Basin, except under <br />circumstance5 which are determined in hearings and consultations as being 1n the <br />interest of best utilization of such waters for multiple purposes. <br /> <br />The Compact places foremost. emphasis on requirements for domestic, <br />irrigation, industrial and recreational purposes, but not preolUliing the <br />opportunity for multiple use development and for flood control. 0 tt/("j <br />