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Show 209 I hold that the California contracts are valid and that the California defendants are entitled to demand water in the amounts specified in the recommended decree. 3. The Nevada Contract. The United States entered into a contract with the State of Nevada and its Colorado River Commission on March 30, 1942.72a Therein the United States undertook "subject to the availability thereof for use in Nevada under the Colorado River Compact and the Boulder Canyon Project Act" to deliver from storage in Lake Mead "so much water as may be necessary to supply the state a total quantity not to exceed 100,000 acre-feet each calendar year." On January 3, 1944, the same parties entered into a supplemental contract which increased the quantity of water to be delivered to 300,000 acre-feet described in the following words: "so much water, including all other waters diverted for use within the State of Nevada from the Colorado River system, as may be necessary to supply the State a total quantity not to exceed Three Hundred Thousand (300,000) acre-feet each calendar year."72b I have heretofore noted various contentions respecting this contract and it is unnecessary to review them here. Nevada would disavow her contract, claiming that the Supreme Court, in an equitable apportionment suit, can award her water in excess of the contract maximum of 300,000 acre-feet. Projecting her needs to the year 2,000, Nevada prays for an apportionment of approximately 530,000 acre-feet of water per year.73 Having determined that a contract with the Secretary of the Interior is a pre- 72aThe complete text of the contract appears in Appendix 6, page 409. 72bThe complete text of the contract appears in Appendix 7, page 419. 73Nev. Petition of Intervention, p. 25. See also Nev. Answering Brief, pp. 26-27, 94-96. |
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Original Report: State of Arizona, complainant v. State of California, Palo Verde Irrigation District, Imperial Irrigation District, Coachella Valley County Water District, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of Los Angeles, California, City of San Diego, California, and County of San Diego, California |