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 18that the Indians have prior rights to it and therefore the San Carlos Indians might get all the water that might be used in New Mexico. Is there any way of exchanging water from the San Carlos Indians in this project? Don't just nod your head. Say yes. I want it in the record. Mr. Pugh. That would be not the San Carlos Indians necessarily; the San Carlos project. The Gila Indians have immemorial water rights on the water downstream. Their rights have to be satisfied first. Now, if Colorado River water is brought in, it can be delivered to the Indians downstream in exchange for withholding water upstream. In other words, the people in New Mexico then would not have to release their water, because the project would provide replacement water to the Indians from the Colorado River. At page 65 of the record of the August 28, 1963 hearing Senator Anderson during the questioning of the Bureau witnesses stated: Now we have this problem and there ought not to be any dispute between the States. I am trying to find out if you desire to have this bill enacted into law before these States have a chance to agree how they will divide up what little is left after the Supreme Court got through with us. Immediately thereafter the record of the hearing discloses the following: Mr. Pugh. I do not think I am competent to comment on that. Senator Kuchel. You are going to have to be, 18Epson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 1,329,038 byte