WSP07244

• File Number: 8200.300.40.A
• Description: Colorado River Compact
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 11/19/1922
• Author: Co. R Compact Comm.
• Title: Minutes of Colorado Compact Commission - Meeting #20
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

73

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for the construction 0:1;' the Laguna Dam.. There is an act that is

so interpreted, but a~l it says, it gives the right to divert

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power from a navigable stream to water Indian lands, and,others.

There is no direct provision in any act provising for construction

of 0. dam acrpss the Colorado River.

MR. MC CLURE: The federal government has bui It one., that 1 s

the practical view of th~ situation.

MR. RAMELE: That doesn't destroy navigation.
MR. CARPENTER: If the United States is 0. part of ,this compact

and signs as such, it will be presumed that it dealt with their

paramount right of control of navigation. It occurred tome after-

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ward the other dc.y, that while I would wish and hope: ;t,hat the
United states of America might construe thiS\~O be, in ~egal effect,
0. control of their power of navigation, it has' several .times
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occurred to me that inasmuch as it is 0. transaction between the

states, would it be interpreted as far as I would hope it would

go or would it not really be interpreted simply to mean as to the

power of the s~ates over navigation, that they agree as here

expressed. I am prone to believe that the latter might be the
interpretation, although the former would be my wish.
MR. RM~ELE: The argument was presented here that it was the
wish of the states that the rights of the national government may
be eliminated, or made subservient as defined in this article,

and I think if the U. S. approved this compact with this provision

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in without some specific reservation on the point - that's what it

would amount to.

..

MR. CARPENTER: If that's the interpretation, doesn't it

raise the issue here in this compact, and isn't is just as well to