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16 Ca l i f o r n i a ’s s t a k e i n t h e Co l o r a d o r iv e r This agreement was executed by representatives of and ratified by each of the seven agencies concerned, comprising: Palo Verde Irriga­tion District, Imperial Irrigation District, Coachella Valley County Water District, The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of Los Angeles, City o f San Diego, and County of San Diego, and accordingly, has become known as the 1 ‘ Seven-Party Water Agreement. ’ ’ The schedule of priorities contained in the agreement was included in and made a part of each of the water contracts executed by the Secre­tary of the Interior with these California agencies. The contracts executed by the Imperial Irrigation District, the Coachella Valley County Water District, and the City of San Diego, in -addition to covering delivery of water from Hoover Dam Reservoir, pro­vide for repayment of the cost of the All-American Canal in an amount not to exceed $38,500,000. The All-American Canal contemplates and is designed to irrigate over a million acres of land in the Imperial and Coachella Valleys. The capacity of the main canal below Pilot Knob is 10,000 second-feet divided 8,500 second-feet to the Imperial Irrigation District and 1,500 second-feet to the Coachella Valley County Water District. It was considered at the time the water contracts were executed in the early thirties, and it is still considered, that the total amount of water contracted for by California agencies, aggregating 5,362,000 acre-feet, is within the limitation placed upon California by the Project Act. In this Connection it is of interest to note that-, in a decision rendered by the United States Supreme Court in 1936 on an action brought by Arizona against California and other basin states, Mr. Justice Stone stated, after referring to the provisions of the Limitation Act passed by the California Legislature in conformity with the Project Act, that “ by its provisions, the use o f the water by California is restricted to 5,484,580 acre-feet annually. ” Construction The execution of the power contracts guaranteeing repayment of capital and annual costs of Hoover Dam and power plant set the machinery in motion for appropriation of funds for construction to proceed. Construction work on the dam proper started in 1931. The dam was completed and the power plant placed in operation for delivery of commercial power in October, 1936. Construction of the All-American Canal unit of the Boulder Canyon Project was started in 1934. On February 13, 1942, the All-American.' Canal commenced the delivery of all of the Imperial Irrigation District’s water supply, and use of .the old Imperial Canal through Mexico was discontinued except for Mexican service. Construction of the Coachella Branch Canal was started in 1938 but it is still not completed. CALIFORNIA’s STAKE IN THE COLORADO RIVER 17 In addition to the work undertaken by the Federal Government, the construction of the Colorado River Aqueduct was undertaken and financed directly by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern Cali­fornia. A bond f in e of $220,000,000 was. voted by the people of the district on September 29,1931. Construction on the aqueduct was started in 1933, and on Parker Dam in 1934. The main aqueduct to Lake Mathews was completed in 1940 and water delivered into that reservoir. Since that year the aqueduct has been functioning and water delivered to certain member cities. For the Fiscal Year 1946-47 the gross diversion into the aqueduct was about 100,000 acre-feet, an in cre p g o f about 40 percent compared to the previous year. ? An aqueduct is now under construction connecting the Colorado River Aqueduct to San Diego. It is expected to be completed and placed in operation by December, 1947. The San Diego County Water Authority, including the City of San Diego, has joined and is now a part of The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.