WSP10764

• File Number: 8277.200
• Description: California Water Resources Association/California Salinity Projects
• State: CA
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/1963
• Title: Colorado River Board of California Annual Report 1969
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

C!:)
('J
0)
~
o

c.)

LEGISLATION

One of the Colorado River Board's func-
tions is to monitor legislative activities of
concern to California's interests in the
Colorado River System.
During the year a number of bills were
introduced in Congress that would affect the
Colorado River Basin if passed. They includ-
ed bills to: enlarge the boundaries of the
Grand Canyon National Park, authorize
Federal and local agencies to cooperate in
planning water yield improvement practices,
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
make disposition of geothermal steam and as-
sociated geothermal resources, establish a
Federal oil shale development program,
clarify the relationship of interests of the
United States and of the states in the use of
waters of certain streams, amend the Colora-
do River Storage Project Act in order to per-
mit the construction of dams and reservoirs
authorized within national parks or monu-
ments, authorize the Secretary of the Interior
to grant to private individuals ownership of
certain lands along the lower section of the
Colorado River, amend Federal reclamation
laws relating to the furnishing of water ser-
vice to excess lands, and provide a practical
weather modification program in the Upper
Colorado River Basin. Except for the bill on
Federal-State water rights which is similar to
earlier bills on this subject supported by the
Board, no position has been taken by the
Board on these bills. At the end of 1969, these
bills were still being considered by the vari-
ous congressional committees to which they
were assigned.
Arizona Congressmen John Rhodes and
Sam Steiger introduced House Joint Resolu-
tion 269 in January 1969. The resolution
would authorize and direct the Bureau of

Reclamation to conduct a study and investi-
gation into the possibility of acquiring ripari-
an rights or license from the Republic of
Mexico for the purpose of permitting the
piping and pumping of water from the Gulf
of California to Arizona for irrigation pur-
poses and to acquire a permit to locate a de-
salting plant within the territorial limits of
the Republic of Mexico. By letter of April 3,
1969, California's Senator Murphy requested
Director of Water Resources Gianelli to com-
ment on the resolution. Mr. Gianelli after
consulting with the Board stated on April 21,
1969, that the approach of the resolution was
too narrow and did not offer the type of ap-
proach necessary for a successful study.
The California Porter-Cologne Water
Qyality Control Act was passed by the Cali-
fornia Legislature and signed into law by
Governor Reagan on July 14,1969, to become
effective on January I, 1970. The purpose of
this law is to implement the legislative
recommendations of the final report of the
State Water Resources Control Board sub-
mitted to the 1969 Regular Session of
the Legislature entitled "Recommended
Changes in Water Qyality Control," pre-
pared by the Study Project-Water Qyality
Control Program. This Act, considered the
most comprehensive water quality control
law in the nation, completely revises Cali-
fornia's water pollution and water quality
control laws and also enables the State Water
Resources Control Board to carry out water
quality objectives through its water rights
function. The Act is of significance to the
Colorado River Board in connection with es-
tablishment of water quality standards for
the Colorado River.

11