The Colorado River is managed and operated under an international treaty, compacts, federal statutes, regulations, contracts, and other legal documents.
Endangered Species Act of 1973 - conservation of ecosystems which endangered species of fish, wildlife, and plants. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 - national policy to promote the enhancement of the environment. Also, required statements be provided about environmental impact and be presented for major US governmental actions. National Historic Preservation Act 1966 - preserve national and archaeological sites in America. The Colorado River is "operated under numerous compacts, federal laws, court decisions and degrees and guidelines know as 'the laws of the river'" (Colorado River 1). Colorado River CompactIn 1922 an agreement was made among the seven surrounding states regarding the Colorado River water rights. The compacts divides the river into the Upper (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming) and Lower Divisions (Nevada, Arizona, California). There are minimum requirements of water that must be saved. Also, this compact enabled widespread irrigation and other water projects (i.e. Hoover Dam and Lake Powell) . (https://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/pao/pdfiles/crcompct.pdf).
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Colorado River