AZ vs. CA:25 California Exhibits, Vol. XXV; Nos. 7501-7859

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ALL OOMMUWICATIOf TO THB OO UNITED STATES interior dept. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR RECEIVED MAY 241943 BUREAU of reclamation souctor OmClC#TH«COMM«llOWI MEMORANDUM for the Secretary. Subjectt Preliminary report on meeting of representatives of the Colorado River Commission (Committee of Fourteen) Phoenix Arizona, on May 3, 1943, for the purpose of considering a proposed, contract between the United States (through the Secretary of the Interior) and the State of Arizona for the delivery of Boulder Canyon project water. Reference is made to my memorandum of April 26, 1943, regarding the ' desirability of having representatives of the Bureau present at the meeting of representatives of Colorado River Commission at Phoenix, Arizona, on May 3, to consider a proposed contract between the United States (through the Secretary of the Interior) and the State of Arizona for delivery of Boulder Canyon Project water. The conference recessed on May 6 and will reconvene at Denver on May 26 to consider a proposed contract to be drafted by a drafting committee of 7, representing each of the seven Colorado River states, appointed at the Phoenix conference. I propose to submit a full report after the meeting at Denver on May 26. I wish to report at this time, however, that in the opinion of the Bureau representatives considerable progress was made at the Phoenix conference. This was in a large part due to the fact that Arizona acceded to the contention of the six Compact states that Glla River water was included in the water allocated to the Lower Basin states under Articles III(a) and III(b) of the Colorado River Compact upon condition that the question be reserved for future judicial determination as to whether Ill(b) water was apportioned. Arizona's position that Gila River water was not included in the water allocated under Articles III(a) and III(b) was the source of major opposition from the six Compact states when a proposed contract was submitted for your approval in 1934. Bureau representatives at the Phoenix conference took the position, consistent with the instructions contained in my memorandum to you dated April 26, that the Department was not in a position to consider any proposed contract until the basic issues had been agreed upon by Arizona and the six Compact states, and further, on the basic issue as to the amount of water to which Arizona was entitled under the Colorado River Compact, the Bureau representatives did not propose to take any position, either for or against Arizona's contentions. Yihile the Bureau representatives were not authorized to commit the Bureau and the Department on the specific terms of a proposed contract, the representatives ~~ assured the conferees that they would be glad to assist and cooperate in any way possible, consistent with the foregoing.