Colorado Code
Article 69 - Arkansas River Compact
§ 37-69-101. Arkansas River Compact

The general assembly hereby ratifies the compact between the state of Colorado and the state of Kansas designated as the "Arkansas river compact" signed in the city of Denver, state of Colorado, on the 14th day of December, A. D. 1948, by Henry C. Vidal, Gail L. Ireland, and Harry B. Mendenhall, commissioners for the state of Colorado, and George S. Knapp, Edward F. Arn, William E. Leavitt, and Roland H. Tate, commissioners for the state of Kansas, and approved by Hans Kramer, representative of the United States of America. Said compact is as follows:
Arkansas River Compact
The state of Colorado and the state of Kansas, parties signatory to this compact (hereinafter referred to as "Colorado" and "Kansas," respectively, or individually as a "state," or collectively as the "states") having resolved to conclude a compact with respect to the waters of the Arkansas river, and being moved by considerations of interstate comity, having appointed commissioners as follows:
Henry C. Vidal, Gail L. Ireland, and Harry B. Mendenhall, for Colorado; and George S. Knapp, Edward F. Arn, William E. Leavitt, and Roland H. Tate, for Kansas; and the consent of the congress of the United States to negotiate and enter into an interstate compact not later than January 1, 1950, having been granted by Public Law 34, 79th Congress, 1st Session, and pursuant thereto the President having designated Hans Kramer as the representative of the United States, the said commissioners for Colorado and Kansas, after negotiations participated in by the representative of the United States, have agreed as follows:
The major purposes of this compact are to:


The provisions of this compact are based on (1) the physical and other conditions peculiar to the Arkansas river and its natural drainage basin, and the nature and location of irrigation and other developments and facilities in connection therewith; (2) the opinion of the United States supreme court entered December 6, 1943, in the case of Colorado v. Kansas (320 U. S. 383) concerning the relative rights of the respective states in and to the use of waters of the Arkansas river; and (3) the experience derived under various interim executive agreements between the two states apportioning the waters released from the John Martin reservoir as operated by the corps of engineers.
As used in this compact:









Both states recognize that:







Colorado and Kansas hereby agree upon the following basis of apportionment of the waters of the Arkansas river:








































Nothing contained in this act or in the compact herein consented to shall be construed as impairing or affecting the sovereignty of the United States or any of its rights or jurisdiction in and over the area or waters which are the subject of such compact: Provided, that the chief of engineers is hereby authorized to operate the conservation features of the John Martin reservoir project in a manner conforming to such compact with such exceptions as he and the administration created pursuant to the compact may jointly approve.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the commissioners have signed this compact in triplicate original, one of which shall be forwarded to the secretary of state of the United States of America and one of which shall be forwarded to the governor of each signatory state.
Done in the city and county of Denver, in the state of Colorado, on the fourteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and forty-eight.
Henry C. Vidal,
Gail L. Ireland,
Harry B. Mendenhall,
Commissioners for Colorado.
: Attest:
Warden L. Noe, Secretary.
George S. Knapp,
Edward F. Arn,
William E. Leavitt,
Roland H. Tate,
Commissioners for Kansas.
: Approved:
Hans Kramer,
Representative of the
United States.

Source: L. 49: p. 485, § 1. CSA: C. 90, § 39(1). CRS 53: § 148-9-1. C.R.S. 1963: § 149-9-1.

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