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Show generated at Hoover Dam. This poses a question that probably cannot be answered at this time. "However, it would appear that it might be unwise at this time to authorize a new project for use of substantial amounts of water from the main stem of the Colorado River in the Lower Basin when a study of stream-flow records discloses that the requirements for such a project might cause the depletion of Lake Mead below the level where it could generate power. Even then, there would be no assurance that water would be available to the project if storage in Lake Mead were entirely depleted to absolute dead storage. At that time the only water available would be the amount released at Lee Ferry plus accretions to the river between Lee Ferry and Hoover Dam. This would fall far short of enough water to sustain present uses and the new development. Otherwise the assumption would have to be made that after Lake Mead had been depleted to absolute dead storage it would rapidly fill by a succession of years of good runoff. It is considered that such an assumption is not warranted. "Finally, it would be fair to conclude that the authorization of projects in the Lower Colorado River Basin which would utilize substantial additional quantities of water would be unwise at this time unless at the same time a project, or projects, for the importation of substantial amounts of water from sources of surplus are authorized." B. LEGAL Selected Legal References During the past year considerable effort has been devoted to collecting and analyzing laws and other materials of primary importance to people interested in water development in the Upper Colorado River Basin. This information has been compiled into a document called Selected Legal References for the Use of the Upper Colorado River Commission. At the date of this report this compilation has not been completed. This work has been under the direction of the Commission's General Counsel. The resulting book will consist of a compilation of statutes, compacts, operating principles, etc., especially important to the Upper Colorado River Basin. An attempt has been made to include general reclamation laws applicable to the Colorado River Basin. 36 |