The Delta independent., 1923-03-23

es the required protection. 1t is fair
to the lower states and guarantees
practically unlimited development to
the upper states for all time to come.
The compact conforms to natures di-
version of the drainage area of the
stream into an upper and lower basin.
These areas are separated from each
other by the great canon of the river.
The drainage area of the river is like
great hour glass; Over 85 per cent
of the water of the stream rises in the
upper part of the basin but the flow
from every upper tributary is united
to form a single stream at the head
of the canon at Lee Ferry which is
just below the south line of the Utah.
All the waters from the upper catch
ment basin must flow past this point
like the grains OF sand passing thru
the neck of an hour glass. Waste and
return waters from the upper irriga-
!, tion united with the original water
from the snow drifts and the rains to
form single stream at this point.
This is the natural point of control
and measurement. Here states of the
upper basin will deliver water to the
lower basin after all uses in the upper
basin.
The measured flow of the Colorado
river at Lee Ferry for 1922 was 49,
100000 acre feet. This was the net
flow of the river after all uses and
ho ho civ
The flow of the river has been meas
ured and recorded for quarter OF a
century, and the flow for 1922 hap
pened to be almost exactly an average
of the flow for the 25 year period of
measurement. In other words, the
1922 Lee Ferry record represents the
dependable average flow of the river
at that point. Engineers estimate
that the flow would have been over
Is, 100000 acre feet at that point had
there been no diversions Of water
from the stream about that point.
The flow at Lee Ferry was official
ly ascertained by the U. S. Geological
Survey in cooperation with the state
engineers of the seven Colorado river
states. The measurements were care
fully made and the records are au-
thentic. Nothing was left to guess or
conjecture. 100000 acre feet of
water actually flowed past that point
in 1922 and this was nearly (101 per
cent? an average year. I discuss this
point because many interested persons
are not aware of the actual flow of
the river at Lee Ferry.
Ia nrnvidnC that tho
upper states shall not deplete the
flow at Lee Ferry below 75,OOO,O0O
acre feet in any ten year period. rec
koned in progressive series. In other
words, the upper states agree to per-
NIT what amounts to an average flow
of 100000 acre feet to pass Lee Ferry
each year, altho all that is requir-
ed of the upper states is to permit the
passage of an aggregate of 75.000,000
acre feet during any ten year period,
which depending on the flow, can be
done in less than ten year period.
The compact provides that states of
the upper basin may exhaust (des-
troy 100000 acre feet of water an
nually. Only part of the water divert
ed is consumed. The remainder goes
back to the stream and on down to
Lee Ferry to the credit of the upper
states. The upper states, are to be
charged only with the water consum-
ed. This point has been subject of
considerable discussion.
The term beneficial consumptive
use" is not fully understood We
should not overlook the word con-
sumptive." A use may be beneficial
without being consumptive. And a
consumptive use is one which con-
sumes The term beneficial consump-
tive use" as used in the compact has
been defined by Director Davis of the
Reclamation Service and others to
mean the difference between the
amount diverted and the amount of
the return flow. Director Davis says
it is the Diversion minus the return
flow" 1t means the amount annually
consumed during the process of max
ing beneficiaf use. It refers to the
annual exhaustion of the water OF the
stream resulting from uses.
All students of the compact agree
that this state should approve it. Am
biguities in one or two paragraphs
have been called to the attention of
the legislature and such matters have
been thoroughly considered 1t is
agreed that they are not of sufficient