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<br />
<br />O~1236
<br />ARKANSAS RIVER COMPACT
<br />
<br />In 1936 Congress, pursuant to applications by the two States, enact.ed leg!sla:..
<br />tion authorizing the construction of what is generally known as the CaddoR
<br />Reservoir project (now officially designnted as- the John Martin Reservoir proj-
<br />ect), which involved the construction of a dam in the main channel of the river
<br />some 58 miles west of the State line for :flood control and irrigation conservR,..
<br />tioD. The designed capacity is in round figures 281,000 acre-feet for flood con-
<br />trol, and 402,000 acre-feet' for irrigation storage. This _ was constructed by the
<br />Department of the-Army Corps of Engineers, and-began to operate to a limited
<br />extent in 1948, and is now substantially finished. The expense was entirely at
<br />the cost of the United States Government.
<br />- A major consideration in the congressional legislation authorizing the. con-
<br />. . stl'uction of the reservoir was the asserted intent by Oongress to facilitate final
<br />settlement of the long pending 'interstate controversy.
<br />Pursuant to implied direction of the last decision of the United States Supreme
<br />Court and in order that both States might enjoy immediate advantage of the.
<br />construction of John Martin Reservoir, preliminary plans for a compact ,were
<br />initiated and in 1945 commissioners were appointed by the respective States;
<br />namely, for Colorado, Hehry C. Vidal, Gail L. Ireland, Harry B. Mendenhall,
<br />nnd Charles L. Patterson, and for Kansas, George S. Knapp, A. B. Mitchell, Wi!.
<br />Ham E. Leavitt, and Roland H. Tate, and the United States Government, in ac-
<br />eOl'dance with proper legislation, designated Brig. Gen. Hans -Kramer, United
<br />States Army, retired, as the Federal representative on the interstate commiss-ion.
<br />The resignation and SUbsequent departure from the State of .Mr. Patterson re-
<br />sulted in the three remaining Oolorado commissioners being authorized to pro-
<br />ceed to completion of the compact. In Kansas Mr. Mitchell -was succeeded by
<br />Mr. Edward F. Am, and finally .after many meetings, from January 7, 1946 to
<br />December 14, 1948, negotiations, correspondence, and statement of positions. by
<br />the various Federal departments and agenCies interested, the attached compact
<br />was signed with the approval o.f the United States representative affixed.
<br />Since the partial completion of the John Martin Reservoir project, water has
<br />been stored to a limited extent and diversions therefrom for the benefit of Colo-
<br />rado. and Kansas have taken place under so~called executive interim agreements
<br />between the Governors of the two States, all of which has been most helpful
<br />to the commissioners in appraising the practical benefits of the reservoir.
<br />
<br />ANALYSIS OF THE COMPACT
<br />
<br />The abo.ve.mentioned executive interim agreements, which worlred out equi~
<br />tably in actual practice, established to a large degree the basic, provisio.ns of the
<br />compact as finally signed.
<br />The compact contains nine separate articles, each af which must' be considered
<br />to have an understanding of the principles and purposes thereof."
<br />The intraductory paragraph Dames the official personnel of the interstate com-
<br />pact commission and recites the co.nsent of Congress to enter into an interstate
<br />compact with respect to. the water~ o.f the Arkansas River.
<br />
<br />ARTICLE I
<br />
<br />This article Is a declarattion of intent, -first to settle disputes and remo.ve causes
<br />fo.r future controversy, and second, to equitably divide and apportion between the
<br />two. States such waters and their use as well as the benefits arising from John
<br />Martin Reservoir.
<br />
<br />ARTIOLE II
<br />
<br />This article reco.gnizes (1) the physical and other conditions af the stream anc1
<br />its basin and the irrIgation developments therein, (2) the opinion of the United
<br />States Supreme Court in.the cnse of -Oolorado ,v. Kansas (820 U. S. 888) concern~
<br />ing the relatiVe rights of the two- States, and (8) the experience derived from the
<br />temporary executive interim agreements.
<br />
<br />ARTIOLE m
<br />
<br />This-article is made up entirely of definitions af terms appearing in the compact.
<br />Attentian is particularly directed to paragraph "B therein, - Which excludes from
<br />consideration and apportionment any waters - brought into the Arkansas River
<br />Basin from any other river basin.
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