Joint Statement on the Pacific Southwest Water Plan and on S. 1658

Document: Joint Statement on the Pacific Southwest Water Plan and on S. 1658, A Bill to Authorize the Central Arizona Project, by Claud S. Mann, page 7in that State from the Gila River System. Despite the fact that many of these uses are junior in time to uses downstream in Arizona, I conclude that they should not be disturbed. . . . . The New Mexico uses which are confirmed regardless of priority, therefore, are those present uses on the Gila River System in New Mexico which are not subject to the Gila Decree, viz. all present uses except those in the Virden Valley. As noted above, there is a controversy as to the extent of presently irrigated acreage on the Gila River System in New Mexico. (emphasis ours) Thereafter in the Draft Report (pp 300-302) the Master set forth his proposed findings as to the exact acreage presently being irrigated in the Gila River System in New Mexico (Findings 14-26). The Draft Report on Page 293 under the specific heading "Future Uses" states, as follows: New Mexico also claims the right to water for future requirements. It is here, however, that priority of appropriation has its greatest effect. It would be unreasonable in the extreme to reserve water for future use in New Mexico when senior downstream appropriators in Arizona remain unsatisfied. It was so held as to Colorado's claim in Nebraska v Wyoming, Supra. New Mexico seeks to mitigate the effect of her claim by attempting to establish that, should additional water storage facilities be constructed sometime in the uncertain future, increased uses in New Mexico would not diminish the supply for downstream Arizona users. To 7Epson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 1,296,801 byte