OCR Text |
Show the United States to observe certain specific terms of the compaot. This pro- cedure was followed in the last Republican River Compact which* during the present year, has been ratified by the legislatures and approved by the Con- gress. This plan has also been followed in the Belle Fourche Compact between South Dakota and Wyoming. The latter, we understand* is now before the Con- gress for consideration. In order to give a clear understanding of this-procedure, a portion of Article X and all of Article XI of the Republican River Compact are quoted as follows! Nothing in this compact shall be deemed, H(a) To impair or affect any rights, powers or juris* diction of the United States, or those acting by or under its authority, in, over, and to the waters of the Basin; nor to irapair or affect the capacity of the United States, or those acting by or under its authority* to acquire rights in and to the use of waters of the Basin; * * * ¦ "This compact shall become operative when ratified by the Legislature of each of the States, and when consented to by the Congress of the United States by legislation provid- ing,, among other things * thatj M(a) Any beneficial consumptive uses by the United States* or those acting by or under its authority, vdthin a State, of the waters allocated by this compact shall be made within the allocations hereinabove made for use in that State and shall be taken into account in determining the ex- tent of use within that State. "(b) The United States* or those acting by or under its authority, in the exercise of rights or powers arising from whatever jurisdiction the United States has in, over, and to the waters of the Basin shall recognize, to the extent con- sistent with the best utilization of the waters for multiple purposes, that beneficial consumptive use of the waters with- in the Basin is of paramount importance to the development of the Basin; and no exercise of such power or right thereby that would interfere with the full beneficial consumptive use of the waters within the Basin shall be made except upon a deter- mination, giving, due consideration to the objectives of this compact and after consultation with all interested federal agencies and the state officials charged with the administra- tion of this compact, that such exercise is in the interest of the best utilization of such waters for multiple purposes. "(c) The United States, or* those acting by or under its authority, will recognize any established use, for domestic and irrigation purposes, of the waters allocated by this com- pact which may be impaired by the exercise of federal juris- |