Pacific Southwest Water Plan

Document: Pacific Southwest Water Plan, January 1964 (photocopy), page 1PACIFIC SOUTHWEST WATER PLAN I. BACKGROUND AND SUPREME COURT DECISION In deciding Arizona v. California on June 3, 1963, the Supreme Court allocated the disputed entitlement to the 7.5 million acre-feet annual flow of the Lower Colorado River in the following manner: Arizona - 2.8 million acre-feet; California - 4.4 million acre-feet; and Nevada - 0.3 million acre-feet. The Court also decreed that, if and when the 7.5 million acre-feet were not available, the Secretary of the Interior should allocate the deficit between the three States. Arizona is presently using about 1.8 million acre-feet less than its full entitlement. California, on the other hand, is diverting about 0.7 million acre-feet more than its entitlement. The Supreme Court decision opened the way for Arizona interests, led by Senator Hayden, to press for authorization of the Central Arizona irrigation project ($499 million) and the Bridge Canyon power project ($511 million). These projects have been before Congress since 1948. They are designed to enable Arizona to make full use of its entitlement to Colorado River water for irrigation and municipal water supply. Since construction of this project would mean cutting off water now being diverted to California, California is bitterly opposed. The overall problem is complicated by a new Interior estimate that future availability of 7.5 million acre-feet in the Lower Colorado River is doubtful. The Secretary of the Interior in mid-June 1963 announced, with President Kennedy's concurrence, his intention (1) to formulate a regional water plan (similar to the Upper colorado River Storage Project) for the Lower Colorado River area; (2) to present it to the five affected States (Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah) for comments; and (3) to have it ready for presentation to Congress in January 1964. Announcement of this course of action immediately after the Court decision was a deliberate effort to forestall controversy between Arizona and California over authorization of the Central Arizona Project. In the months following the Secretary's announcement, the Department developed under "forced draft" a regional plan designed to achieve a consensus between Arizona and California. Features which the other States could be expected to support were also included. The Pacific Southwest Water Plan was then submitted to the States and Federal agencies involved for review and comment. Upon receipt of comments the Plan was substantially revised, principally to accommodate the recommendations of California. Secretary Udall believes this revised Plan will be supported on the Hill by all the States involved. The revised version of the Plan is now informally before the Budget Bureau for clearance. The individual project reports comprising the Plan are concurrently being forwarded to States and Federal agencies for review.Epson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 2,518,567 byte