January 15, 2008--Four states, two tribes vie for Soutwest Colorado runoff (Cortez Journal)
The Colorado River Compact binds all parts of the state together in a struggle for water against the downstream states - California, Arizona and Nevada. But Southwest Colorado wrestles with its own particular water issues, thanks to its geography. The region is home to a dozen rivers and to two Colorado Indian reservations. And three other states sit nearby. "We view our competition for water as the state of New Mexico," said John Porter, president of the Southwestern Water Conservation District. "They get 11.25 percent of the Colorado River. Well, that all has to come out of the San Juan River." Porter was talking about the Upper Colorado River Compact of 1948, which divided the top half of the river among Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico.
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