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Show 206 WAR FOR THE COLORADO RIVER people were still coming into California monthly; estimates for the Los Angeles area alone ranged about 10,000. "The rapid population and economic changes . have created a host of problems. . . One of the most serious is that of water supply in California. Public officials in California urged that the Federal Government assist in resolving the conflict between the states over water rights in the lower Colorado River basin in order to assure more adequate water and power supplies. It appeared that San Diego, at the extreme southern tip of the State, had completely exhausted its reserve supplies of water. . ." Arizona had sought to show its need for more water by citing its agricultural production and its potential in this field. Compared to that of California, of course, it was very small. In an exhaustive analysis issued by the Colorado River Association it was shown that, great as its agricultural production was, California was the big- gest buyer of farm products from the other sixteen recla- mation states. The total amount California paid to these states in 1948 for their farm products was more than $357 million. Of this total amount, California paid them: $174 Million for livestock. $ 22 Million for fruits and vegetables. $ 46 Million for dairy products and poultry. $115 Million for grains and flour. Legislation had been introduced, Rep. Poulson pointed out, to limit the amount of cotton that should be grown, while at the same time the Reclamation Bureau was proposing to build an immense project on which enor- mous amounts of cotton would be produced, thus in- |
