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<br />achieve accuracy and completeness and to im-
<br />prove consisten~y and coordination among the
<br />four regions.
<br />
<br />Drafts submitted by the field agencies were
<br />revised and coordinated by the Water Resources
<br />Council, and again distributed for review and
<br />____~_..... TI~c> ....I~..................... fro... ..J.,,,, T n'1T"''' rnlr\r...rln
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<br />Upper Colorado, California and Great Basin re-
<br />gions reached that stage in late 1967. At a meet-
<br />ing of the Lower Colorado River Region staff in
<br />November the Council's version of the Lower
<br />Colorado chapter was discussed, and as a result
<br />the Board and other agencies in the region nrged
<br />further revision, to provide a truer assessment of
<br />the water problems of the region.
<br />
<br />River Basins Commissions
<br />
<br />In June 1966, governors of the Columbia
<br />River Basin states sent letters to the Water Re-
<br />sources Council requesting that a Pacific North-
<br />west River Basins Commission be established for
<br />planning water and related land resources devel-
<br />opment in the Pacific Northwest area, consisting
<br />of the states of 'Vashington and Oregon (exclud-
<br />ing the Klamath River Drainage Basin) and those
<br />portions of the states of Idaho, \V yoming and
<br />Montana within thc Columbia River drainage
<br />system.
<br />
<br />The Colorado River Board at its meeting on
<br />August 3, 1966, directed that the following tele-
<br />gram bc sent to Governor Brown:
<br />
<br />Columbia River B:lsin states by letters to the
<br />"Vater Resrmrces Council~ Washington, D.C., in
<br />June requested establishment of a Pacific North-
<br />wesr River Basins Commission in accordance with
<br />the \Vater Resources Planning Act of 1965. Al-
<br />though the proposed area of study includes cer-
<br />tain srream basins common to Oregon and Cali-
<br />fornia the proposed membership does not include
<br />California,
<br />It is e,'idem that the water problems of the
<br />west can only be resolved through a west-wide
<br />approach,
<br />The Colorado River Board, voting unanimously
<br />today, strongly recommends that you request the
<br />\Vater Resources Council to include California as
<br />a member state of the proposed Pacific Northwest
<br />River Basins Commission, and that furthermore,
<br />
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<br />you urge the Commission be broadened to include
<br />west-wide representation.
<br />
<br />RAYi\WND R. RUl\"IMONDS, ChaiT11Ul1l
<br />Colorado River Board of California
<br />
<br />In response to such recommendation by the
<br />Board, the Department of Water Resources, and
<br />. ,..., ,.,. . ... ,...... ........
<br />me ~alIlOrnIa hovlsory Lommlttee on Western
<br />States Water Planning, Governor Brown on
<br />August 4, 1966, sent a telegram to Secretary of
<br />the Interior Stewart 1. Udall, Chairman of the
<br />'Vater Resources Council, applying for Califor-
<br />nia membership in the Pacific Northwest River
<br />Basins Commission and urging enlargement of
<br />the Commission to include all eleven western
<br />states, in order to seek a truly regional and inte-
<br />grated rather than fragmented solution to the
<br />'Vest's water problems.
<br />The Chief Engineer and Principal Engineer of
<br />the Board attended a meeting of the Southwest
<br />Water Council on November 28, 1966, con-
<br />vened to learn the reactions of the Colorado
<br />River Basin States to the proposed Pacific North-
<br />west River Basins Commission and to discuss the
<br />advisability of creating a Pacific Southwest River
<br />Basins Commission. Staff members of the \Vater
<br />Resources Council explained the Water Re-
<br />sources Planning Act of 1965, and announced
<br />that on August 5, 1966, the Council had agreed
<br />in principle to establishment of the Pacific
<br />Northwest Commission substantially as requested
<br />by the Columbia Basin governors.
<br />Consensus of the Southwest '''' ater Council
<br />members was that a west-wide eleven-state com-
<br />mission would be preferable, but that in view of
<br />the action of the Water Rcsources Council on
<br />the request of the Northwest, and in view of the
<br />existence and study program of the Pacific
<br />Southwest Interagency Committee, that a Pacific
<br />Southwest River Basins Commission should not
<br />be formed at this time, It was decided to defer
<br />further consideration pending future develop-
<br />ments.
<br />The Pacific Northwest River Basins Commis-
<br />sion was established by Executive Order on
<br />March 6, 1967, and has members representing
<br />the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washing-
<br />ton and Wyoming and various federal depart-
<br />ments.
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