Page images
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]

INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS, 196/

UNITED STATES SENATE

EIGHTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

ON

PROBLEMS ARISING FROM RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE
STATES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH RESPECT
TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONTROL OF WATER

[blocks in formation]

Printed for the use of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs

71868

sisa
P

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON: 1961

Law Library

COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS
CLINTON P. ANDERSON, New Mexico, Chairman

HENRY M. JACKSON, Washington

ALAN BIBLE, Nevada

JOHN A. CARROLL, Colorado

FRANK CHURCH, Idaho

HENRY DWORSHAK, Idaho

THOMAS H. KUCHEL, California

BARRY GOLDWATER, Arizona

GORDON ALLOTT, Colorado

ERNEST GRUENING, Alaska

FRANK E. MOSS, Utah

OREN E. LONG, Hawaii

QUENTIN N. BURDICK, North Dakota

LEE METCALF, Montana

J. J. HICKEY, Wyoming

HIRAM L. FONG, Hawaii

JACK R. MILLER, Iowa

II

RICHARD L. CALLAGHAN, Staff Director
STEWART FRENCH, Chief Counsel
JERRY T. VERKLER, Clerk

ROY M. WHITACRE, Professional Staff Member

CONTENTS

Page

3

15

25

27

28

[ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

7720

FEDERAL-STATE WATER RIGHTS

SECTION I-ORAL PRESENTATIONS

THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1961

U.S. SENATE,

COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS,

Washington, D.C.

The committee met, pursuant to call, at 10 a.m. in room 3110, Senate Office Building, Senator Clinton P. Anderson (chairman of the committee) presiding.

Present: Senators Clinton P. Anderson, New Mexico; Alan Bible, Nevada; John Carroll, Colorado; Frank E. Moss, Utah; Oren E. Long, Hawaii; Quentin N. Burdick, North Dakota; Lee Metcalf, Montana; J. J. Hickey, Wyoming; Henry Dworshak, Idaho; Thomas H. Kuchel, California; Gordon Allott, Colorado; and Jack Miller, Iowa.

The CHAIRMAN. The committee will come to order.

This is a public hearing by the full committee of the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs on Federal and State jurisdiction with respect to water rights and the development of our water

resources.

Our meeting today is exploratory, in that we are not considering any specific piece of proposed legislation now pending before the committee. Rather, we want to explore the broad, general field with respect to the relationships between the individual States and the Federal Government in water resource development and control over water rights within State boundaries.

It should be noted, however, that we do have before the Subcommittee on Irrigation and Reclamation S. 211, a bill to affirm and recognize the water laws of the States lying wholly or partly west of the 98th meridian. This measure was introduced by the Senators from Nebraska, Hruska and Curtis, and Senators Allott, of Colorado and Case of South Dakota. While this hearing is not on that bill, nor, as I say, on any specific bill, unquestionably the information and views expressed today will have a bearing on congressional action, or decision not to act, on that measure.

The Federal-State jurisdictional situation is not necessarily one of conflict, with the individual States arrayed on one side and the Federal Government on the other, in adversary positions, with respect to water rights. Quite the contrary in fact.

Water resource development, on the whole, has in many, many instances exemplified our Federal-State system of dual and coexisting sovereignty at its best and most cooperative. Huge multipurpose dams have been built, both on great interstate streams such as the

1

« PreviousContinue »