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Show CHAPTER A - INTRODUCTION AUTHORIZATION, PURPOSE AND SCOPE The Lower Colorado Region is one of the major river basins in the United States included in a nationwide program to provide comprehensive river basin plans for the development, use, and management of water and related land resources. This program stemmed from recommendations of the Senate Select Committee on National Water Resources, and planning concepts are embodied in Senate Document No, 97, 87th Congress, Second Session. The overall program was presented by the President in the Fiscal Year 1963 budget. The Lower Colorado Region study was approved by Congress, and funds were provided to start this activity in Fiscal Year 1967. The States of Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah participated with the various Federal agencies in this investigation. The basic objective in the formulation of framework plans is to provide a broad guide to the best use, or combination of uses, of water and related land resources in each region to meet foreseeable short- and long-term needs. In studies to achieve this basic objective, con- sideration was given to: (a) the timely development and management of these resources as essential aids to the economic development and growth of a region; (b) the preservation of resources, in appropriate instances, to insure that they will be available for their best use as needed; and (c) the well-being of all of the people as the overriding determinant In such planning. The studies made for this report are preliminary, or reconnaissance, in scope. All geographic areas within the region and all purposes served by the conservation, development, and use of water and related land resources were considered. Available data pertinent to the study that have been collected, developed, and cataloged over the years by local, State, and Federal agencies were utilized. The studies considered only intraregional water and related land resources use except for those interregional water uses established by prior compacts and agreements. This study deals with the water and related land resources of the Lower Colorado Region involving all significant problems and beneficiaX uses associated with these resources. Consideration is given to various aspects of problems related to supplies of water for municipal and indus- trial purposes, water quality control, Mexican Treaty obligation, alloca- tions under the "Law of the River," flood control, irrigation, electric power production, mining and mineral processing, land resources and uses, |