Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-08-31
California Insists on $4,-
$4,000 Acre Feet of
Water From River.
IMPASsE S E IN.
Hitch i'm Proceedings Oc-
ours Over Division Of
Main Stream.

! DENVER, Aug. 80 E0-The seven
state Colorado river conference con-
tinued to walk treadmill today while
the upper basin governors, continued
to cling to the hope that out of the
mass of plans, counter-plans and
amendment would come settlement
of the water division controversy be-
tween Arizona and California.
Governor George H. Dern of Utah,
chairman Of the conference, said to-
night, after more than six hours of the
days negotiations, that the two states
were agreed on the use of tributary
waters and on the equal paper divi-
sion of the waters unallocated under
the Santa Fe compact which would
be given them until the year 1868. At
that time they would be re-allocated
among all the seven Colorado river
states.
Arizona, in addition, had agreed to
accept 100000 acre feet of water from
her tributaries, to be subject to no
diminuations by reason of any treaty
with Mexico except in such proper
ton as this would bear to the waters
allocated to the three lower basin
states from the main stream. Cali
fornia, according to Governor Dern,
balked at this clause.
Nevada, the third of the lower basin
states, having made her pronounce
ment Monday regarding the power de-
veloped by the proposed Boulder can
yon dam, stood outside the pale of
conflict, agreed to accept 100000 acre
feet as her allotment from the main
stream.
Under today's upper basin proposal
Arizona would receive 100000 acre
feet of water from the main stream
and California 100000. AS for the
tributary water other than Arizona'S,
each state of the lower basin could
use it provided the apportionment sit
uated in more than one state be left
to adjudication between such states.
This, it was pointed out, brought in
contributing streams in both Mexico
and Utah, and it was said by one OF
the California delegation informally
that a strictly lower basin agreement
should not include upper basin states.
! w. B. Mathews, member of the
! California river commission, declared
/ at an executive session with the upper
basin today that California cannot
and will not" agree to take anything
less than 4,563,O0O acre feet of water.
| That, he added, was necessary to the
success of the proposed all-American
canal project to irrigate Imperial val
| lev and to care for that states per-
fected rights.
! The hitch in the proceedings, there
| fore, occurs in the division of the main
stream water
1t was practically agreed today at
| the series of executive sessions to let
the power question, injected into the
discussions Monday by Nevada, go over
until the next meeting of the con-
ference, to be held in "tWo or three
weeks" at the call of Governor Dern
and possibly at Salt Lake City. No
intinaation was given as to when the
present conference would declare a
recess. Both Arizona and California
| apparently agreed to fight it out on
the present line of engagement even
if they had to eat Thanksgiving dim
ner in Denver
| A hurried call to Governor r. O.
Dillon at Santa Fe today for time
gave rise to the belief that an agree
ment had been reached, but later de-
velopments belied the rumor. Gov
ernor Dillon is scheduled to leave Las
Vegas, N. M, early tomorrow morning
morning with Captain r. N. Shumaker
| in a Colorado national guard airplane
for Denver. The trip will require
about four hours.
! At noon Wednesday the conferees
will temporarily adjourn the parley to
take part in the Lindbergh reception.
Governors Williams H. Adams of Colo
Continued on Page Eight)