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The Area Of Origin And A Columbia River Diversion, Ralph W. Johnson

Articles

In 1968 Congress declared a ten-year moratorium on any study of diversion of Columbia River water to the Southwest. One of the reasons for the moratorium was to give residents of the Pacific Northwest time to analyze their region's water needs to determine if "surplus" waters are available for export, and to establish, in a broader sense, a regional policy towards diversion proposals. This article assumes a neutral stance towards the ultimate issue of diversion and attempts only to analyze the problem of protecting the area of origin in the event of a Columbia River to Southwest interbasin water transfer. …

The Area Of Origin And A Columbia River Diversion, Ralph W. Johnson

Articles

In 1968 Congress declared a ten-year moratorium on any study of diversion of Columbia River water to the Southwest. One of the reasons for the moratorium was to give residents of the Pacific Northwest time to analyze their region's water needs to determine if "surplus" waters are available for export, and to establish, in a broader sense, a regional policy towards diversion proposals.

This article assumes a neutral stance towards the ultimate issue of diversion and attempts only to analyze the problem of protecting the area of origin in the event of a Columbia River to Southwest interbasin water transfer.

The Canada-United States Controversy Over The Columbia River, Ralph W. Johnson

Articles

In a comprehensive study of the recent dispute between Canada and the United States over the Columbia River, Professor Johnson traces its history through the birth of the Harmon doctrine in 1898, the signing of the Boundary Waters Treaty in 1909, and the first Canadian claim to downstream benefits in the early 1950's. Against this background, he analyzes the negotiations and events—particularly the Canadian proposals to divert the Columbia into the Fraser, and to develop the Peace River instead of the Columbia—that culminated in the Columbia River Treaty in 1961. Before Canadian ratification of the Treaty, however, additional problems presented …

The Columbia River System, Ralph W. Johnson

Articles

In March, 1959; the International Columbia River Engineering Board submitted its report on the co-operative development of the river to the International Joint Commission. In December, 1959, that Commission submitted to the governments of Canada and the United States its recommendations for apportionment of benefits if co-operative development is undertaken. And thirdly, in the last two years there has been much attention directed at the Peace River development, which is considered by some as competitive with the Columbia. Let us examine the effects of these events on the Columbia River problem. A presentation for Panel II, Current Legal Problems Connected …

Effect Of Existing Uses On The Equitable Apportionment Of International Rivers I: An American View, Ralph W. Johnson

Articles

In spite of the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909, however, there are at least two reasons why our present topic is pertinent to the Columbia River question; first, there may be a question whether the 1909 treaty really does apply to this situation, and secondly, even if applicable the two countries may for a number of reasons desire not to rely upon its limited provisions for settlement. If the treaty is deemed not to be controlling, then other principles of international law become germane to the dispute, such as the question now before us.

Effect Of Existing Uses On The Equitable Apportionment Of International Rivers I: An American View, Ralph W. Johnson

Articles

The dispute between the United States and Canada regarding the apportionment of the Columbia River is not settled. In March 1959, pursuant to the 1944 reference, the International Joint Conimission submitted to the governments of Canada and the United States a comprehensive engineering report on "Water Resources of the Columbia River Basin" prepared by the International Columbia River Engineering Board. This report contains three plans for utilizing the resources of the Columbia. Two of these plans include diversion of part or all of the Kootenay River into the Columbia at Columbia Lakes. All three plans would develop about the same …