WSP10526

• File Number: 8210.110.60
• Description: Colorado River Water Users Association
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 12/6/1962
• Author: CRWUA
• Title: Proceedings of the 19th Annual Conference
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

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WHAT IS THE PACIFIC SOUTH::WEST
INTER-AGENCY COMMITTEE?
by
Kirk M. Sandals, Chairman
Pacific Southwest Inter -Agency Committee
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Berkeley, California

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The title of this paper was assigned to me by the 1962':Program Chairman
of the Colorado River Water Users Association. Bill Gookin, the Chairman, and
I havE') been professional associates for many years, and I gathered from him that
there was need for a review of inter-agency coordination matters concerning water
and related land resources before CRWUA by the Pacific Southwest Inter-Agency
Committee to furthur develop the relationships and interests of both organizations.
In my present capacity as Chairman, PSIAC, and with the concurrance of the Ex-
cutive Subcommittee, PSIAC, I have undertaken the task.

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Among men of letters, it is sometimes said that "History is Prologue. "
The saying has great relevance to this paper.

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Historical Sketch

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Principal elements of the Federal Inter-Agency procedures currently em-
ployed by the Inter-Agency Committee on Water Resources (known as ICWR or
"Icewater") had their origin approximately 27 years ago -- more than a quarter
of a century past. With the pas sage of the Flood Control Acts of 1936 and 19 38,
Congress laid the foundations for the initiation of and for more intensive activity
by several Federal agencies in comprehensive planning and development of river
basins for multiple purposes including navigation, flood control, runoff and water-
flow retardation and soil erosion prevention; watershed protection and flood pre-
vention, hy.droelectric power, irrigation, water supply, pollution abatement, fish
and wildlife and recreation.

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River Basins' planning occupied the spotlight as a full.scale production
during the early 1930's when the National Resources Planning Board and the
several State Water Resources Planning Boards attempted an inventory and anal-
ysis of the water resources of this country. Much of the work was a "library"
effort, and one important source of information was the "308" reports prepared on
a major river bas ips , basis by the Corps of Engineers mostly during the late 1920's.
Lest it go unnoticed, let me emphasize that the "308" reports were the result of
Congressionally-authorized investigations -- very likely, the first such investi-
gations authorized on a National scale.

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In the Western 17 States, investigations of river basins progressed at an
increasing tempo under the authority of the Reclamation Act of 1902. The Bureau
of Reclamation was authorized by Congress to do this work.

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By the late 1930's, the National Resources Planning Board was abolished as
were the State Water Resources Planning Boards. This action now is but faintly
remembered, yet, it is highly important prologue because there was then removed
from the American natural resource scene, the first country-wide, Federal'-
States I effort to tote up our heritage of water resources and try to determine what
to do with them. The author had the privilege of participating in this effort. This
was an early experience with Federal-States' relations in the field of water and

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