WSP09398

• File Number: 8507
• Description: Rio Grande Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Date: 7/1/1997
• Title: Water Management Study: Upper Rio Grande Basin part 3
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Addressing the Basin's Problems

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Opposition to a Basin-wide commission also comes from those who feel they
are at a disadvantage, economically and politically. Some representatives of
Indian Pueblos, for example, are fearful that they would not have adequate
financial resources or legal, political, and other expertise to participate in the
commission on equal terms with entities, such as the large cities, irrigation
districts, and conservancy districts.

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In sum, we anticipate that the pressure for innovative approaches for
bringing the demands for and supply of water and other resources into
balance will grow, but there is no consensus in the Basin supporting a
particular institutional framework-especially a basin-wide commission-for
pursuing these innovations. New approaches, whatever their structure, will
not eliminate the competition for resources and may do little to dampen the
controversy over resource management or the federal role therein, at least in
the short run. At this point, however, there seems to be widespread
recognition that new approaches are necessary.

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Federal agencies can play important roles in facilitating better cooperation,
both among themselves and with all interested parties. We discuss, in the
next chapter, some of the steps agencies can take toward this end. In
general, though, we fall back to the fundamentals described at the beginning
of this chapter. Each agency should set a high standard for: (1) embracing
all interest groups; (2) providing technical expertise and financial support to
help stakeholders answer "What if?" questions; and (3) treating all parties
fairly.

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