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

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1936 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE 9389 Protest of the States op Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming Against the Proposed Gila Valley Irrigation Project in Arizona The representatives of the States of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming in conference assembled to consider various problems connected with their interests under the Colorado River compact as upper-basin States in the waters of the Colorado River system, hereby and upon the grounds hereinafter stated, express their opposition to any Federal aid for the proposed Gila Valley project in Arizona until that State shall have accepted the Colorado River compact. In supporting this protest against the Gila Valley project * * * the first thing to do is to define the interests of the protesting States under the Colorado River compact that the proposed project * * • if constructed, would invade. WATER INTERESTS OF STATES OF UPPER BASIN The water interests of the upper basin under the Colorado River compact, which was ratified by the Boulder Canyon Project Act, are: (1) The protection of its own apportionment of the 7,500,000 acre-feet of water per annum out of the Colorado River system, and (2) The procural of the further apportionment, in an amount to be determined in 1963, of the residue of the "surplus" waters of the system over and above the combined apportionments of 16,000,000 acre-feet of water per annum made by the compact to the upper and lower basins, after first deducting from that "surplus" whatever amount of water may be set aside hereafter for Mexico by treaty between the two nations, or failing that, then by some international tribunal. Should the allowance to Mexico exceed the "surplus", then the deficit is to be taken equally from the 7,500,000 acre-feet and the 8,500,000 acre-feet already allotted to the upper and lower basins respectively. THE COLORADO RIVER COMPACT The Colorado River compact does several things. It- 1. Apportions to the upper basin, comprised of the States of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and a small part of the State of Arizona, 7,500,000 acre-feet of water per annum out of the entire Colorado River system, inclusive of all tributaries, and 8,500,000 acre-feet of water per annum to the lower basin, comprised of the States of Arizona, California, Nevada, a small part of New Mexico, and a small part of Utah. 2. Reserves for future apportionment in 1963 between the same basins on the principle of "equitable division", as distinguished from priority regardless of State lines, all the remaining water of the entire system, less whatever amount the United States may recognize Mexico as entitled to-not as a matter of law, but as one of international comity.