| OCR Text |
Show erate size were completed. The Colorado River report sponsored by the Bureau of Reclamation for the Department of the Interior was also completed in this period.5 The 134 potential projects within the basin area were described, as well as a number of possibilities for exporting water to adjacent watersheds. The report concluded (1) that there is not enough water available in the Colorado River system for full expansion of all potential projects outlined in the report, including those possibilities for exporting water to adjacent watersheds; (2) the formula- tion of an ultimate plan of river development will require selection from among the possibilities for expanding existing or authorized projects as well as from among potential new projects; and (3) that before such a selection for ultimate development can be made it will be necessary that, within the limits of the general allocation of water between the upper basin and lower basin States set out in the Colorado River Compact, the Colorado River Basin States agree on suballocations of water to the indi- vidual States. That report brought to a close the second stage of development in the basin which in 1946 had the following: Area irrigated Hydroelectric power installed Average annual depletion Upper basin......... Lower basin......... Acres 1, 325, 000 1, 351, 000 Kilowatts 57, 217 1, 258, 030 Acre-feet 2, 200, 000 4, 918, 000 Total........ 2, 676, 000 1,315,247 7,118,000 Program for Achieving Ultimate Development Instruments and Obstacles The Colorado River report stimulated the upper basin States6 to allocate among themselves the water given the upper basin by the Colorado River Com- pact, and to agree on a manner of discharging 6 Department of the Interior, The Colorado River (1947), H. Doc. 419, 80th Cong., 1st sess. * Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Ari- zona, however, also participated in the execution and ratification of the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact because a small part of the State is in the upper basin. their joint responsibilities. These States and Ari- zona signed the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact in 1948. In doing so they made possible the beginning of integrated water resources plan- ning in the upper basin. At the request of the upper basin States the Bureau of Reclamation expedited a tentative upper basin plan. If finally accepted, this plan would mark entrance upon the third stage of development of the river. In the lower basin real conflicts remain about the division of water use, thereby seriously handi- capping over-all development. Illustrative of these conflicts are the disagreements between California and Arizona, the potential lower basin rights of Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico being relatively small compared to rights asserted by either Cali- fornia or Arizona. California desires structures which require water in excess of that which Arizona now would concede to California. Likewise, Arizona desires uses in excess of that which California now would concede to Arizona. It thus is evident that until an agreement or de- cision between California and Arizona is reached as to their respective allotments within the lower basin, these two States will be unable to take part materially in the third stage of development. Elements of a Program in the Upper Basin Of particular significance in the preparation of upper basin plans for ultimate water use is the re- strictive item (d) of article III of the Colorado River Compact: The States of the upper division will not cause the flow of the river at Lee Ferry to be depleted below an aggregate of 75,000,000 acre- feet for any period of 10 consecutive years.7 Examination of the 10-year estimated natural flows8 at Lee Ferry shows the 10-year drought period 1931 to 1940 as outstanding. During that very severe drought period only 118 million acre- feet of virgin flow would have arrived at Lee Ferry. Allowing for a 10-year delivery of 75 million acre- feet to the lower basin, an average annual use of only 4.3 million acre-feet or somewhat in excess of half its apportioned 7.5 million acre-feet annual use would have then been available to the upper basin. Ultimate development to full apportioned T Lee Ferry is the point of diversion between the upper and lower basins on the Colorado River 1 mile below the mouth of the Paria River. * Actual flow plus upstream depletions. 457 |
