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.. 4 1::-'" i:::.i.'iJ Liaison and Information Activities i\1embers of the Board and stalf attended and participated in numerous meetings of organiza- tions concerned with water policy at local, state and national levels. Such organizations include the National Reclamation Association, Colorado River "Vater Users' Association, Southwest Water Council, Irrigation Districts Association of California, the Feather River Project Associa- tion, the Western Interstate \Vater Conference, the Southern California \Vater Conference, com- mittees of the Los Angeles and Stare Chambers of Commerce, Western States Water Council, Nevada \Vater Conference, Inland Empire Waterway Association, and the Pacific South- weSt Interagency Committee. The Chief Engineer presented a paper at a meeting of the National Water \Vell Association in Houston, Texas, on September 21, 1965, dis- cussing the history and dependency of Southern California on the Colorado River. He noted a general awakening to a situation that the Colo- rado River Board had been discussing for man~- years: ". . . the 'Law of the Ri\'et.' Despite its large volume, however, ::md rhe careful and tedious work that went into its creation, this 'Law of the Rh'er' has f:liled to resolve satisfactorilv the in- terState ptoblems of the Colorado. The reasoo is simple: no amount of law can make the Colorado River produce more water. The river is rapidly going bankrupt. . "Finally all the water experts in the basin have come to acknowledg-e these truths. All the states are no\\' convinced of the futility of fighting over water shortages, and are just now activel\' seek- ing together the onl" solution which can effec- ri\'ely resolve the problems of a bankruot stream: a tegional approach which contemplates aug- mentation of the Colorado from some othet so~rce a~d which jn antjcipation of such augmen- tation W,II allow urgentl\' needed in-basin ptoj- ec~s such, as the Central Arizona Project to be bUilt. Legislation is now pending in the Congtess to achIeve those twin objectives, , ." The Chief Engineer and Special Counsel pre- sented papers before the Colorado River \Vater Users' Association on December 3, 1965, en- 10 titled respectively "Status of Regional Planning in the Pacific Southwest" and "Balancing the Water Budget of the Colorado River." The Chief Engineer addressed the Irrigation Districts Association of California on December 8 1965 , , on the subject "California's Present and Pro- jected Water Requirements from the Colorado River." The Principal Engineer presented papers be- fore the \Vater and Power Committee of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce on March 2], 1966, on the status of the Colorado River Basin Project Bill and before thc Colorado River Forecast Committee on April 28, 1966, entitled "Application of Probability Analysis to Current "Vater Supply Problems on Colorado River." Special Counsel presenred testimony at a hearing on regional planning and regional water plans before the Assembly Interim Committee on \Vater of the California Legislature on Decem- ber 14, 1965. On March 17, 1966, the Chairman presented a paper to the Third Annual California Re- sources Agency Conference explaining the func- tions and activities of the Colorado River Board. He pointed out that the Boatd is unique in that it is not only an arm of the State government but is composed of representatives of the six agencies owning the major rights in California on Colo- rado River, "Thus the Board is able to voice officially and directly the interests of the State of California and to coordinate the views of its Colorado River water users." The Board staff worked closelv with the Colo- rado River Association on pre~s releases, bro- chures and maps. Drawings and information werc furnished thc editors of "Power" magazine for an article on the present and future water problems facing the country. ivlany persons made use of the Board's library as a reference source and sought the advice and help of the staff. Board members, staff and coun- sel spoke to various organizations interested in Colorado River problems and regional water planning for the Pacific Southwest.