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

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FILE COPY Surname: THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR WASHINGTON 15. D, 0* DEC 1 3 1945 My dear Mr. Murdocki On October U, preliminary reply was made to your letter of September which you requested certain information regarding the contract of February X-jtii* between th« state of Arizona and tho United States far the delivery of Colorado River water to Arizona commissioner Bashore has received the- information requested from Regional Director iaritw, and X mm relaying that to you The following. is an excerpt from the contract Article 7(»J. Subject to the availability thereof for use ^ In Arizona under the provisions of tbe Colorado River Compact and , the Boulder canyon Projcet Act. the United States shal deliver / and Arizona, or agencies or water users therein, will -accept under / this contract each calendar year from storage in Lake Mead at a // point or points of diversion on tho Colorado River approved by the Secretary( so much water aa may be necessary for the beneficial ^ consumptive use far irrigation and domestic uses in Arizona of a maximum of 2,800,000 acre-feet« / Tho Colorado River Compact to which tho Arizona and similar contracts aro subject, uses throughout(but does not define* tho tana *beneficial consumptive uao." Section. U(a) of th« Boulder Canyon Project Act contains this language • •• the State of california ¦•• shall agree irrevocably and un-conditionally •«• that tho aggregate annual consumaptive use (diversions less returns to tho river) •*? shall not exceed, •to. •'• If tho apparent aonao of tha above-quoted language should be applied to the Arizona contract, which by lav and its terms is subject to tho compact ma* to Such ultimate and authentic interpretation as may be given to the compact terms, 3it would contemplate the consumptive use within Arizona of a maximum Of 2,300,000 acre-feet annually, with that two measured by tho difference between diversions and return flow, subject, however, to Article 7(d) of tho contract providing aa follows Tho obligation to deliver water at or below Boulder Dam shall bo diminshed to turn oxtvnt that ooaoa»p«iT0 uao« n«x» or horoaftor •xlatloK Li Arizona ei.oro Lalco doai dli«lnlah tha flow Into Lako 'MmAt and auol: obligation ahall bo tubjoet to auoh roduotian on account of araporatloa, roaorvoir and riror loaaoa, a* nay bo roquiroU to roucier tiiia aontraet in oonfortaity with aaid aooyaot and aat.i tot.