The Coconino sun., 1925-12-18
GOVERNORS COLORADO
RIVER COMMITTEE SUBMITS
THEIR COUNTER PROPOSAL

IAOih Ol lIG USil6l1bS VI tIl6 SOlOTduO
river to the committees of California
and Nevada which was submitted to
Arizona December /, 1925.
'sThe states of Arizona, California
and Nevada, have appointed represent
tatives for the purpose of negotiating
an agreement among said states in.
reference to the waters of the Colo
RADIO river, who after negotiations,
have agreed upon the following ar
ticles:
ARTICLE I
It is recognized by the parties here
to. that the unregulated normal flow
of the Colorado river is insufficient
to properly. irrigate the lands already
under cultivation BY irrigation from
the waters of said river; that the
benefits Of the storage of the flood
waters of said river within the United
States belong wholly to the citizens
of the respective states; that without
disparagement Of the treaty making
power of .the United States govern
ment, the states party hereto and
congress of the United States in con-
senting to this agreement shall be
understood as declaring: That it is
their purpose to utilize within the
borders of such states all of the
waters of the normal flow. Of the
Colorado river heretofore appropriated
and put to beneficial use in accord
ance with the laws Of. the states in
which the same are being put to bene-
ficial use, and all of the flood waters
~ Isl
ing utilized within the borders of, the
United States, for any purpose, by
construction of storage dams within
the United States, and particularly
that the republic of Mexico and the.
citizens thereof shall take notice that
they can not acquire any moral or
equitable claim to the waters of the
Colorado river temporarily made
available for use In said republic of
Mexico by the regulatory effect of
any dam or dams constructed in pur-
suance of this agreement as it is. the,
and purpose of the states
party hereto and the United States
to ultimately utilize all of such waters
within their own borders. Any ex-
press or implied Acknowledgements Of
rights to the republic of Mexico to
the waters of the Colorado river. by
any instrument, agreement or COM
pact signed prior to this agreement
which is inconsistent with the decla-
rations of this paragraph, il there be
any such inconsistent acknowledgment
or declaration, is hereby withdrawn
and shall not be renewed or re-as-
serted without the consent of the
states party hereto.
ARTICLE II
The states of Arizona, California
and Nevada hereby agree that the
waters of the Colorado river and its
tributaries in said states shall be di-
fvided, allotted and appropriated as
follows:
(a) All of the waters Of the tribu-
.tariess of the Colorado river which
flow into said river below Lees Ferry
are hereby allotted and appropriated
exclusively in perpetuity to the states
in which such tributaries are located,
and may be stored in and diverted
from said tributaries or the main
channel of the Colorado river for use,
in said states.
OBJ There is hereby allotted and.
appropriated to the state of Nevada
for use in said state that portion of
the total amount of water of the main
Colorado river as measured at Lees
Ferry, which can be beneficially used
for agricultural and domestic pur-
poses, not exceeding 100000 acre feet
per annun1.
There is hereby allotted and appro-
priated for agricultural and domestic
use to each Of the states of Arizona
and California from the remainder of
the water available as measured at
Lees Ferry, one-half of the waters of
the Colorado river.
(c) Any diminution of the amount
of water allotted to-each state between
the point of measurement and the
point of delivery, caused by evapora--
ton and seepage in storage or in
transit, shall be borne; by each state
from its original allotment.
I'D The states Of Arizona, Cali
fornia and Nevada hereby agree to
limit and control future appropria-
tions and beneficial use Of water in
said respective states to such ail
amount and in such manner as will
insure that present perfected rights.
in said state will be fully protected
and supplied out of waters hereby al
lotted to said state.
ARTICLE III
The following rules shall apply to
the use and storage OF water under
this agreement:
(al The use. of water for irrigation
and domestic purposes allotted in
Article ii hereof shall be superior to
any right Of storage for power pur-
poses or navigation and any Of said
states may divert from the river the
water allotted to,it any any point on
the river, provided that if any state
shall take any water so allotted to it
out Of the main channel of the Colo
RADIO river at higher elevation than
the highest elevation of the bed of
said river in said state, the works
constructed for such purpose shall not
interfere with beneficial develop
ment in the state entitled to develop
such fall of the river and the state
or states taking out water at such
higher elevation shall fully compen-
safe, the other states affected thereby
for the loss of power caused thereby
to such states.
(hl Tho nrioY t,ctrtiot;on of aDu