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<br />C9C: sma <br />1 Jan 51 <br /> <br />o <br />r) <br />~ <br />N <br />c.o <br />00 <br /> <br />CBAPTER II- <br /> <br />JDRISDICTIONAL ASPECTS <br />or <br />WATER AVAILABILITY <br /> <br />Although projects for the development or water resources as contem- <br />plated by the cOllllll1ttee may be on a river basin wide basis, ignoring <br />state lines, private property rights accru11lg under such projects, and <br />rights to the use or water for any such interstate development, must be <br />measured by the lavs of the respective states in which such development <br />is projected. <br /> <br />Federal Interest and Pollcy. The principal interest or the Federal <br />Government in water resource control and development arises in the im- <br />provement of navigability or strell.lllS, under the so_lled "collllllerce <br />clause;" and the development of large scale projects for reclamation, <br />irrigation and other internal improvements, under the so-calied "general <br />welfare clause", of the Federal Constitution, The last"'lllentioned con- <br />sti tutional function of the Federal Government is confirmed by a recent <br />decision of United states Supreme Court in the case or United States v. <br />Gerlach Livestock Compe.ny (70 SlJl)reme Court 955, decided June 5, 1950T. <br />In addition to the principles otherwise established that private rigbts <br />accruing under the lavs of appropriation doctrine states may not be taken <br />for a Federal project vithout payment of just compensation therefor, the <br />Gerlach case enunciates the principle that private rights accruing under <br />the lavs or riparian doctrine states likewise may not be taken without <br />just compensation for a Federal project. <br /> <br />The current pollcy of the Federal Government in integration of its <br />rigbts and those accruillg ,under respective states' jurisdictions is to <br />recognize the interests aDd rights of the states in determining the de- <br />velopment of the watersheds v1th1n their borders, aDd their interests <br />and rigbts in water utilization and control. This pOlicy was declared <br />by Congress in Section 1 of the Flood Control Act of 1944 (58 Stat 887). <br />This Act limits the use of water for vorks of improvement for navigation <br />or flood control under the commerce clause of the Federal Constitution <br />to that lIhich vili reDder substantial navigation beneti ts and, further, <br />that the operation or such navigation or flood control vorks are required <br />to consist with state recognized water uses for domestic, municipal, <br />stock water, irrigation, mining or 1Ddustrial purposes. Similar Federal <br />recognition of state rigbts relating to control, appropriation, use, or <br />distribution or water for beneficial consumptive use is found in the <br />Reclamation Act (32 stat 388) or 1902, and in the Federal Water Pover <br />Act of 1920, <br /> <br />11--1 <br />