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<br />
<br />22 0 C 1 Z 4 0 ARKANSAS RIVER COMPACT
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<br />Mr. VIDAl:.. No.
<br />Mr. MlLl:.ER. There is irrigation from the reservoir!
<br />, Mr. VIDAl:.. That is the principal basis for this compact, and the
<br />princil'a! basis for the construction of the reservoir.
<br />Mr. MIlLER. 208,000 acre-feet of the 700,000-plus acre-feet is allo-
<br />cated for flood control!
<br />Mr. VIDAl:.. 280,000 feet.
<br />Mr. MIl:.l:.ER. 280,000 feet for flood control!
<br />Mr. VIDAl:.. Yes.
<br />" Mr. M'ILER. In other words, the dam is high enough' so you can
<br />have a full reservoir when you want it for irrigation, to meet the needs,
<br />until a reservoir is needed for flood control!
<br />Mr. VIDAl,. The flood provision is on top.
<br />, Mr. MILl:.ER. The flood control is No.1, and the compact has been
<br />approved by the Federal agencies, Department of the Interior, Depart-
<br />ment of Agriculture!
<br />Mr. VIDAl:.. The Federal Government representative was General
<br />Kramer, who will testify to that, as he did before the Senate commit-
<br />tee, but we had a number of conferences here with members of Federal
<br />agencies.
<br />,"Mr. MILl:.ER.' Are there other States besides .colorado and Kansas
<br />that might be involved! You mentioned New Mexico in relatlon to
<br />one small creek. Is that State satisfied!
<br />Mr. MlLEs. Will the gentleman permit me to, interrupt for a
<br />question!
<br />, Mr. MIl:.l:.ER. Yes.
<br />" Mr. MIl:.ES. At the time of this conference was a representative from
<br />New Mexico present!
<br />,Mr. VIDAl" The engineer examined the situation at that time.
<br />There is a slight, small area in the southern part of Colorado, south of
<br />the boundary line over in New Mexico and Colorado, in which there
<br />is a little creek, the Trinchera Creek-and incidentally there is another
<br />Trinchera Creek-but this is the one on the eastern 'slope of the moun-
<br />tain and 'it makes the main contribution, if any, to,the water of a
<br />tributary of the Arkansas, and cannot be affected, but in our excess
<br />afcaution we have incorporated in the compact a paragraph (jJ) of
<br />article 4 which provides Lreading] :
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<br />This compact is not concerned with the rights, if any, of the Stat~ of . New
<br />Mexico or its citizens in and to the use in New Mexico of waters of Trinchera
<br />Oreek, or other tributaries of the Purgatoire, a tributary of the Arkansas River.
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<br />There is no practical difficulty, as a matter of fact, but we incor-
<br />porated that provision out of ex.cess caution. ,
<br />, Mr. M'LWR. Is that all you WIsh to ask, Governor!
<br />Mr. VIDAL. This begins in the southern part of Colorado; I suppose
<br />the Purgatoire starts-and, of course, you are familiar with it-up
<br />above Trinidad. It starts above Trinidad and flows into the Arkansas
<br />just above the boundary line.
<br />, Mr. M'LWR. Let me ask you one more question: This compact ca.m~
<br />about, as I understand, because the opinion of the United States
<br />Supreme Court of December 6, 1943, in which the States in question
<br />were requested to ll'et together by agreement on the rights of waters
<br />in the Arkansas River. ' ,
<br />Mr. VIDAL. Congressman, that perhaps is too strong a statement.
<br />That was an inducement to it. I think 'we have all found out and
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