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Issue 1 THE LA PLATA RIVER COMPACT 107 II. GENESIS OF THE LA PLATA RIVER COMPACT Construction of irrigation ditches commenced almost simultaneously in Colorado and New Mexico. The first recognized ditch construction began in 1879 in New Mexico and continued at a vigorous pace to serve all land then under cultivation. I' Nascent water irrigation in Colorado along the La Plata River coincided with the United States Army's establishment of an Indian apency at Fort Lewis in 1880, near present day Durango, Colorado,l Development of irrigated farmlands in Colorado was delayed until 1896 when a portion of the unallocated land in the eastern part of the Ute reservation (now known as the Southern Ute Reservation) became available to white settlers. I' By the turn of the century, Colorado had 19,000 acres of irrigated land." Unfortunately, the limited streamflow did not provide an adequate water supply to all irrigable lands. The land area in the La Plata River watershed predominantly consists of table 'mesas at approximately 7,000 feet in elevation that provide minimal runoff or tributary flows supplementing limited spring runoff from high altitude snowmelt. The La Plata River typically will enjoy its peak runoff in late April to early May." However, the descending limb of the hydrograph, or the rate of flow after the peak, diminishes drastically. A review of the streamflow records indicates the mean daily flows in the La Plata River often decline approximately 85 to 90 percent within thirty days from their high flows of spring runoft;'1 Further, during periods of moderate to severe drought, it is not uncommon for the streambed to become completely dry for miles in the lower reaches of the river for extended periods after the first week in July. During periods of drought in the early twentieth century, upstream Colorado water ;users diverted all available supplies. This practice effectively deprived downstream New Mexico ditches of any water during the late irrigation season, except for marginal return flows from irrigated lands in Colorado and the occasional streamflow from prolonged rainfall or flash floods. The water supply in the La Plata River became so distressingly low in 1902 and 1903 that New Mexico water users brought the severity of the situation to the attention of the newly authorized United States Reclamation Service." The Reclamation Service subsequently dispatched engineers in 16. RALPH I. MEEKER, PERTINENT INFORMATION ON THE BACKGROUND AND NEGOTIATION OF TII" LA PLATA RIvER COMPACf: COLORADO AND NEW MEXICO 2 (1954). Report prepared by Ralph I. Meeker, an irrigation engineer employed by the state of Colorado to conduct an investigation and survey of the ditches and irrigated lands in both New Mexico arid Colorado during the 1919 irrigation season. 17. CRAMPTON, supra note 9, at 29. 18. Blair, supra note 1, at 230. 19. MEEKER, supra note 16. 20. USGS, supra note 1 L 21. See id. 22. MEEKER, supra note 16, at 3.