• +/-Reel 1, pp. 1-800
  • Digest of Testimony Taken before Charles Warren, Special Master
• +/-Reel 1, pp. 801-939; Reel 2, pp. 940-1600
  • Digest of Testimony Taken before Charles Warren, Special Master
  • Digest of Evidence Introduced and Proceedings Had upon the Hearings before Charles Warren, Special Master
• +/-Reel 2, pp. 1601-1869; Reel 3, pp. 1870-2400
  • Digest of Evidence Introduced and Proceedings Had upon the Hearings before Charles Warren, Special Master
• +/-Reel 3, pp. 2401-2693; Reel 4, pp. 2694-3200
  • Digest of Evidence Introduced and Proceedings Had upon the Hearings before Charles Warren, Special Master
• +/-Reel 4, pp. 3201-3665; Reel 5, pp. 3666-4000
  • Digest of Evidence Introduced and Proceedings Had upon the Hearings before Charles Warren, Special Master
• +/-Reel 5, pp. 4001-4437; Reel 6, pp. 4438-4800
  • Digest of Evidence Introduced and Proceedings Had upon the Hearings before Charles Warren, Special Master
• +/-Reel 6, pp. 4801-5346; Reel 7, pp. 5347-5600
  • Digest of Evidence Introduced and Proceedings Had upon the Hearings before Charles Warren, Special Master
• +/-Reel 7, pp. 5601- 6321; Reel 8, pp. 6322-6400
  • Digest of Evidence Introduced and Proceedings Had upon the Hearings before Charles Warren, Special Master
• +/-Reel 8, pp. 6401-7200
  • Digest of Evidence Introduced and Proceedings Had upon the Hearings before Charles Warren, Special Master
• +/-Reel 8, pp. 7201-7208; Reel 9, pp. 7209-7558
  • Digest of Evidence Introduced and Proceedings Had upon the Hearings before Charles Warren, Special Master
• +/-Reel 10, Letter to the Secretary of War to Appendix C, Plates 1-37
  • Letter to Secretary of War
  • Diary and Miscellaneous Notes, Exhibit 2
  • "The Upper Colorado River and Its Utilization," Exhibit 65
  • Treaty with the Navajo Indians, Exhibit 71
  • United States Geographical Surveys, Exhibit 73
  • "Report of Special Survey and Examination of the Green and Colorado Rivers," Exhibit 75
  • "Rapids, Rapid Water, and Quiet Water, Colorado, Green, and San Juan Rivers," Exhibit 80
  • "Characteristics of Colorado, Green, and San Juan Rivers: Current Meter Discharge Measurements," Exhibit 82
  • "Profile Tables, Colorado, Green, and San Juan Rivers," Exhibit 83
  • "Comparison of the Slopes of Colorado, Green, and San Juan with other Rivers," Exhibit 84
  • "Brief Description of Colorado, Green, San Juan Rivers and Tributaries," Exhibit 85
  • "Stream Flow Characteristics Base Gaging Stations," Exhibit 88
  • Exhibits 137 and 507
  • Miscellaneous Notes and Documents
  • Index of Witnesses and Exhibits; Complete List of Complainant's Exhibits
  • Appendix C, Plates 1 to 37, Accompany Report on Special Survey and Examination of Green and Colorado Rivers
• +/- Reel 10, The Times Independent , 17 September 1925; Reel 11, The Times Independent , 17 September 1925 to No. 14 Original, vol. 1, p. 748
  • Colorado River News Items, Moab, Utah Paper, 1896-1927, Exhibit 460
  • "The Colorado River Plateau"
  • Appendix A, Photographs #1 to #13 and Plate #1 to Report of Special Survey and Examination of Green and Colorado Rivers
  • No. 14 Original. Abstract in Narrative Form of the Testimony Taken before the Special Master, and filed in His Court by Him, vol. 1, pp. 1-748
• +/-Reel 11, No. 14 Original, vol. 2, pp. 749-1005; Reel 12, No. 14 Original, vol. 2, p. 1006 to Defendant's Expectations
  • No. 14 Original, Abstract in Narrative Form of the Testimony Taken before the Special Master, filed in His Court by Him, vol. 2, pp. 479-1426
  • No. 14 Original, Brief for the United States of America
  • No. 15 Original, Brief of Defendant, the State of Utah
  • No. 15 Original, Brief of the United States
  • No. 14 Original, The United States of America, Complainant vs the State of Utah
  • No. 14 Original, Defendant's Expectations to the Report of the Special Master

The Colorado riverbed case, sometimes known simply as "the Riverbed Case," grew out of a desire by the State of Utah to determine, legally, who owned the bed of the Colorado River. The State of Utah wished to develop the bed of the river by drilling for oil and for other economic purposes. First, however, it had to be determined who owned the bed of the river: the State of Utah or the United States. This hinged on whether the Colorado could be declared a navigable or a non-navigable river. The plaintiff was the United States, and the defendant was the State of Utah. The court, presided over by Charles Warren, a Special Master of the U.S. Supreme Court, began acquiring testimony in October 1929. The final decree was issued in 1931, giving possession of the riverbed to the United States in non-navigable sections of the Colorado River Basin in Utah. Possession of the riverbed in navigable sections of the basin was given to the State of Utah.

The decision of the court was dependent on the testimony of individuals who had personal experience with the Colorado River in Utah. Most of the witnesses were river runners, both professional and recreational. Much of the testimony came from scientists and engineers who worked for the United States Geological Survey or the Reclamation Service (later the Bureau of Reclamation). Other testimony came from petroleum geologists and placer miners. Persons of notable historic importance include Frederick Dellenbaugh, a member of the second Powell expedition; Franklin Nims, photographer of the Brown-Stanton expedition; various members of the James Best expedition; photographer Ellsworth Kolb; members of the Clyde Eddy expeditions; and members of the Pathe-Bray film expedition, to name a few. A history of powered boats, both gasoline and steam driven, is also included in the testimony. It could be said that the Colorado Riverbed Case is the largest known oral history of the men and women who utilized the Colorado River basin in Utah prior to 1929.

The Colorado riverbed case records (1920-1931) consist of microfilm and microfilm printouts from this court case which determined who legally owned the riverbed of the Colorado River.

Restrictions on Access:

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Restrictions on Use:

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Colorado riverbed case records must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator.

Preferred Citation:

Initial Citation: Colorado riverbed case records, Accn 1702, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott. Salt Lake City, Utah.

Following Citations:Accn 1702.

Arrangement:

Arranged to the folder level.

Acquisition Information:

Gift of John Weisheit in 1997.

Acquisition Information:

Donated by John Weisheit in 1997.

Processing Note:

Processed by Heather Harkness and John Weisheit from 1997-1999.

Language:

Collection materials are in English.

Quantity:

6.25 linear feet

Language of the Finding Aid:

Finding aid encoded in English in Latin script.

Author of the Finding Aid:

Finding aid created by Heather Harkness and John Weisheit

EAD Creation Date:

2008

Subarea: