WSP06721

• File Number: 8200.300.40.A
• Description: Colorado River Compact
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 3/29/1922
• Author: Colorado River Com.
• Title: Proceedings of the Colorado River Interstate Compact Commission, Denver, Colorado March 31 - April 1, 1922
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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quenec. Wato~ is tho ba8ic resourcc of Colorado, as well as

of the other states of tho Colorado River Basin; therefore,

the futuro growth and developlnent of Colorado irrigation rests
largely on ~tilizationof Western Slope or Colorado River

water. Colorado's interest in future utilization of Colorado

Basin waters is that her Western Slope water su)p11 is 96%

of her total undeveloped water supply and is her hope of fu-

turc irrigation development~
The natural restriqtions to irrigation development
imposed by the mountainous and plateau character of Western

Colorado only serve to increase the value and importance to

Colorado of the limited area which may yet be roclnimeu.

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~lese natural rostrictions are also an assurance of Colorado's

inability to ever seriously deplete the water supply destined

for the lower river lands.

WESTERIJ SLOiE ~ATER SUErLY: The Western Slop~ area of 0010ra-

do produces annually about 12,100,000 acre-feet, of water.
1,100,000 acre-feet arc estimated to be consumed annually,
leaving 11,000,000 acre-foet unused and passing annually to
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the main Colorado River. Th€s~ 11,000,000 acrb-feet rcvrcsent
64~ of the 2nnual average flow of tho Colorado river at YUma.

The stream clements composing the 11,000,000 acre-fe~t unused

flow will be found in table 4 of the attached Q2P of the

Oolorado portion of the Colorado 3iver Basin which is subuit-

ted as a part of the record. (See Lxhibit A, Appendix to
Denver Hearings.)

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