Gunnison news-champion., 1922-04-07

saAS ASuSAos SONSA uAiiNht osoioSp
atest amount of irrigation water
the mighty river.
IS of the conference, has this
lies at the basis of amicable ad-
ealousies which Mr.. Hoover fin
tbs and years to iron out. Once
lngely slighted fact, and the
reupOn the states interested can
most tremendous industrial de-
high water, the senator contended
that Utah, Arizona, to say nothing of
any other state had right to use and
we're welcome to il, and he thought
there was water enough for everybody
If judiciously conserved and used.
At this point members of the COM
mission, particularly the commissioner
from Arizona endeavored to get the
senator to admit that there was a
certain amount of water passed the
Colorado state line and into other
states and the question was directed
to secure the right of other states to
this amount of water. The question
was put in this way: Suppose senat-
or, that 90 per cent of the water used
in your project is returned to
the state line and that SO per cent
of the flow would be enough water for
your present needs and future de-
velopments, would you not be willing
that the lower basins should have the
unused SO per cent? The senator
was not SO sure about this and would
not admit the fairness of the point
without qualifications. He stated that
so per cent of the water might be turn
ed over at the present time, but if he
consented to turn over a specified
amount now, we might not have it to
turn over in the future and in such
an event our water right would be in
jeopardy.
Altho the phase Of turning over any
specified amount of water to another
state was approached from different
angles the senator would not admit the
state would consent to such an idea.
The senator from Arizona then ask
ed if it would not be better for the
states involved to agree to a pact for
a fair and equitable distribution of
the waters of the Colorado river and
for commission to adjust water right
differences regardless of state bound
aries, rather than the states contest
any diversion Of water to other states
thru the courts. Senator Tobin stated
that Colorado had fund of $500, 900
to defend her water right and had on
several occasions fought attempts to
divert water in the state.
Upon being asked IL Colorado would
object to the construction of the Boul-
der Canon dam, Senator Tobin stated
that Colorado is comparatively new
state and perhaps only so per cent de-
veloped and that If the construction of
this dam and the use of water from
the Colorado river would curtail the
rights of this state to its waters, the
state would not agree to any proposal
that would cut short her water rights.
SEC. HOOVER EXPLAINED PUR-
POSE OF COMMISSION
Commissioner Hoover at this point,
took occasion to explain that the pur-
pose OF the commission was to try to
get the people of the seven states af-
fected by the proposed Boulder dam
to agree thru some kind of a pact to an
equitable distribution of the waters
originating in the upper basin Of the
each and every state an equitable and
A0Ah usoSAt00SAOu VI ITO W0tSI1 WllU
regard to present needs and anticipa-
tions, and that It was also desired to
adjust such right in way that would
in the future do away with the litiea-
tion that is continually before the
courts in an attempt to distribute ir-
rigation water. He stated that q
commission that would act in conjunc-
tion with the pact would conduct .
hearing every 80 often and there OBJ
jections and controversies could be
taken up for adjustment as conditions
arise and that the pact should be in
force for at least Is years and then
opened for adjustment.
Senator Tobin gave IS his opinion
that Arizona or any other state was
entitled to the water that leaves our
borders, that a pact would be all right
If it did not interfere with the states
sovereign rights to water originating
within its borders for its own use.
Attorney Bullock wanted to know
what would happen il Colorado allo-
Gated water from the Colorado river to
, the lower river basin and eastern Col
orad0 tried to divert western slope
, water. At this point the commission
er from California assured the COM
mission that California would immedi-
ately take legal steps to stop such d.
version. To this assertion Mr.. Car
penter replied that Just as quickly
Colorado would take legal steps to pre-
vent California from wasting a drop
Of water within her borders to the sea.
ATTORNEY MOYNIHAN SEES
TROUBLE IN FUTURE
Attorney Noynihan Of Nontrose
stated that in the future he looked for
| state rights in water matters to be
dealt with more along the line of de-
ve!opment lines and priority rights,
without regard 70 state boundaries,