Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />THE LA PLATA RIVER COMPACT: <br />ADMINISTRATION OF AN EPHEMERAL RIVER IN <br />THE ARID SOUTHWEST <br /> <br />KENNETH W. KNOXt <br /> <br />I. History ................................................................................1 04 <br />II. Genesis of the La Plata River Compact................................ 107 <br /> <br />m. Water Allocation System...................................................... 111 <br />IV. Compact Administration Issues ...........................................112 <br />A. Competition with the Natural Environment......................112 <br /> <br />B. Water Rotation............. .......... .... ......, ...................... .............113 <br />C, Futile Call..,..........................................................................114 <br />D. Compact Water Administration Within a State..................114 <br />E. Coordination between Colorado and New Mexico Water <br />Administration Officials .....,..........,..........................,..........116 <br /> <br />V. Conclusion..........................................................................117 <br />VI. Appendix: The La Plata River Compact.............................. 119 <br /> <br />I. HISTORY <br /> <br />The Rio de la Plata, now known as the La Plata River, is borne in <br />the imposing La Plata Mountains of Colorado and descends quickly <br />into the arid deserts of southwestern Colorado and northern New <br />Mexico. The first known inhabitants of this mountainous region were <br />the mobile hunter-gatherers in the Archaic Period (5500 B.C, to A.D. 1) <br />who made frequent travels from the protected river valley into the <br />mesa and alpine areas in pursuit of game animals.' <br />The Anasazi, or "Ancient Ones," followed the Archaic people and <br />are the most well known prehistoric inhabitants of the region. A <br />predominantly farming culture, the Anasazi lived in the region until <br />A.D. 1300.' Although archeological evidence indicates they <br /> <br />t Kenneth W. Knox is Assistant State Engineer for the Colorado Division of <br />Water Resources, where he is responsible for the water supply. litigation, and <br />groundwater well permitting. Mr. Knox serves as the Compact Coordinator and <br />Engineer Advisor to the State Engineer for all interstate river compacts. From 1994 to <br />1998, he was the Division N Engineer for the Gunnison and San Miguel River Basins. <br />Mr. Knox received his B.S. from Colorado State University in chemical engineering <br />and his Masters degree in Civi~ Engineering. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at <br />Colorado State University in toe engineering department with emphasis in Water <br />Resources Planning and Manag.ement and is a registered professional engineer in <br />Colorado. ! <br />L THE WESTIlRN SAN JUAN IMOUNTAlNS: THEIR GEOLOGY, ECOLOGY, AND HUMAN <br />HISTORY 194 (Rob Blair et at. ed,.. 1996) [hereinafter Blair]. <br />2. [d. at 201-03. <br /> <br />104 <br />