“ All who spoke of the Wilson Supply ditch agreed that it was used to divert water from the headwaters of Deadman creek, a Colorado tributary of the Laramie, into Sand creek, from which that water, or its equivalent, was rediverted at a lower point, along with other water from Sand creek, through the Divide ditch and ultimately carried into the Cache la Poudre Valley. Colorado's evidence indicated that the meadowland, Skyline, and Wilson Supply appropriations were earlier than the Laramie-Poudre tunnel appropriation and many of the Wyoming appropriations ”

“ Thus the interests of the state are indissolubly linked with the rights of the appropriators. To the extent of the appropriation and use of the water in Colorado a like situation exists there. * * *
'We conclude that Colorado's objections to the doctrine of appropriation as a basis of decision are not well taken, and that it furnishes the only basis which is consonant with the principles of right and equity applicable to such a controversy as this is. The cardinal rule of the doctrine is that priority of appropriation gives superiority of right. ”

“ Colorado's state engineer gave 4,250 acre-feet per annum as the measure of the meadowland appropriations, 18,000 acre-feet per annum as the measure of the Skyline ditch appropriation, and 2,000 acre-feet per annum as the measure of the Wilson Supply ditch appropriation. ”