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<br />1483 <br /> <br />The first meeting of the Lower Colorado River Management Program Coordinating <br />Committee was held in the early part of 1971. Through this committee, the interests <br />of the involved states in the river's water supplies and in its fish, wildlife, and <br />other environmental resources can be presented and discussed with the concerned <br />federal officials. In this manner, it is hoped that the controversies which have <br />existed in managing the Lower Colorado River for the past several years may be over- <br />come. <br /> <br />There has been a breakthrough with respect to further proceedings in the 1964 <br />Supreme Court decree in Arizona v. California. The major parties in California <br />and Arizona and the U. S. Department of the Interior have agreed on an informal <br />basis on a settlement of the major present perfected rights (pre-1929) water claims. <br />Since the U. S. Department of Justice desires that any stipulated agreement should <br />include all claims, both major and minor, it will be necessary to expend a major <br />effort in 1972 on the minor miscellaneous claims in order to finally settle this <br />issue. <br /> <br />During 1971, the federal-state Comprehensive Framework Studies were completed <br />for the Colorado River Basin. Also during the year, a considerable effort went into <br />the planning of the scope of studies for the Western United States Water Plan Study <br />authorized by the 1968 Colorado River Basin Project Act. <br /> <br />In 1971, the Bureau of Reclamation completed its first annual operating report <br />for the Colorado River which projected operations for the year 1972. These operating <br />criteria were based upon July I, 1970, criteria adopted by the Secretary of the In- <br />terior. As expected, there was a difference of opinion between the Upper and Lower <br />Basins states with respect to the projected operations of the major reservoirs. <br />Agreement was reached for this year, but it is anticipated that there will continue <br />to be differences over operations in the future. <br /> <br />During the year, the parties to the Rainbow Bridge National Monument lawsuit <br />undertook legal actions that were still unresolved as of the end of the year. This <br />lawsuit seeks to limit the level of operations of Lake Powell to one-half of its <br />capacity. Because of the potential implications of this suit to California, the <br />Colorado River Board supported the position of United States in the lawsuit in op- <br />posing any restrictions on the maximum elevation of Lake Powell. <br /> <br /> <br />Res <br /> <br /> <br />ND R. RUMMONDS <br />Chairman and Colorado River <br />CODDDissioner <br /> <br />5 <br />