Laserfiche WebLink
<br />..... .... <br />_....:..-' <br /> <br />present time, <br />In connectiOn with the proposal <br />to construct nuclear power plants <br />in the Palo Verde Valley. planning <br />was initiated for establishment of a <br />new water distflcr along the lower <br />Colorado River 10 Callfornia_ The <br />proposed district would encompass <br />both public and private lands <br />outside of Indian reservations. <br />wildlife refuges. and other <br />established agencies. and would <br />acquire entitlement to State <br />Project water. Current proposals <br />envision that by agreements with <br />entities holding Colorado River <br />water rights and State Water <br />Project rights. the new district <br />would aCQuire rights to use <br />Colorado River water at State <br />Water Project prices. <br />The Bureau of Reclamation <br />continued its research program of <br />the geOthermal resources of the <br />Imperial Valley. The 8,030-foot-deep <br /> <br />geOthermal test well about 10 miles <br />east of Holtllille. completed 10 1972, <br />underwent further testing which <br />resulted 10 increased flow rates and <br />temperatures. Two 2O.<XXl to 5O,OOJ <br />gallon per day capacity desalters <br />were erected adjacent to the well. <br />and operations began in Mayan <br />one unit. GeOthermal fluids having <br />a total dissolved solids content of <br />about 25.000 parts per million <br />(ppm) were desalted to 450 ppm. <br />Another 6.ClOO-foot-deep injection <br />well was also completed dutlng the <br />year. Interior's final environmental <br />impact statement concerning the <br />potential development of <br />geothermal resources on the <br />federal lands of the western United <br />States was released during the <br />year, This report esltmated that the <br />generation potential of the <br />geothermal lands 10 Imperial Valley <br />ranged from 3.000 to 3O.()(X) <br />megawatts_ <br /> <br /> <br />litigation <br /> <br />Arizona v. California and <br />Other Lower Basin Water <br />Rights Issues <br /> <br />The AttOrney General, the <br />Colorado River Board. and <br />agencies using Colorado River <br />water contlOued deliberations with <br />representatives of Intenor and the <br />states of Arizona and Nevada for <br />settlement 01 the present perfected <br />rights issue. On April 12, 1973. the <br />Department of the Interior <br />transmitted to the U. S. <br />Department of Justice a draft of Its <br />recommended stipulated judgment. <br />This proposed stipulated judgment <br />was agreed upon after extensive <br />negotiations between the states, <br />agenCies claim 109 present <br />perfected rights. and the Federal <br />government. In November. <br />California, Anzona. and Nevada <br />representatives met with a <br />representative from the <br />Department of Justice in Denver to <br />discuss the proposed stipulated <br />judgment. The Justice Department <br />wanted some changes that would <br />make the description of the <br />non-Indian rights closer to that of <br />the Indian nghts which had been <br />deCreed in 1964. At the close of <br />1973. state representatives were <br />considenng revision to the <br />proposed agreement in order to <br />meet the objections raised by the <br />Justice Department. <br />On SePtember 7, 1973, the <br />Secretary of the Interior published <br />In the Federal Register a notice of <br />reservation of COlorado River <br />waters for use on federally owned <br />lands in AnZQna and California. The <br />notice reserved 800 acre-feet <br />annually in Arizona and 1.000 <br /> <br />Harvestmg stra....bem8s on land Irrigated with <br />COlorado River water. <br /> <br />" <br />