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t'- C'l 0') .-4 C C RAYMOND R. RUMMOND5 VIRGIL L. JONES SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY P.r.LO VERDI: IRRIGATION DISTRICT CHAIRMAN AND COLORADO RrVER CO"'MISS10NER COACl-lELLA VALLEY COUNTY WATER DISTRICT EDGAR L. KANOUSE DEPARTlllltNT OF WAYSR AND POWER. CITY 01'" Los ANGELES RAYMOND E. BADGER CARL C. BEVINS IMPlERrAL IRR,OATION DrSTRlCT JOSEPH JENSEN MYRON B. HOLBURT THE METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA STATE OF CALIFORNIA CHIIi:I" E"'G1NEER EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Colorado ~iver Board of California HAROLD F. PELLEGRIN 302 CALIFORNIA STATE BUILDING 217 WEST FIRST STREET LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90012 June 25, 1970 DEAR GOVERNOR REAGAN: I have the honor of submitting to you and the Legislature the report covering the activities of the Colorado River Board for the calendar year 1969. The Board, together with other State agencies and the Colorado River water and power contractors, continued to work with other Colorado River Basin states, Federal Government representatives, and members of Congress to achieve solutions to the Basin's problems. Efforts were continued to assure the maximum possible protection of the rights and interests of California's citizens and entities to the water and power resources of the Colorado River system. Some of the Board's accomplishments during the year are briefly noted as follows: Of particular importance during the year was the development of long-range operating criteria for the major reservoirs on the Colorado River. This requirement established by the 1968 Colorado River Basin Project Act was described by Mr. James R. Smith, Assistant Secre- tary of the Interior, as one of the two most important challenges facing him in the Department of the Interior. In July 1969, Mr. Smith asked each of the governors of seven basin states to appoint one representative to serve on a federal-state task force to develop the criteria. On appointment by you, Mr. Holburt, the Board's Chief Engineer, served as California's represen- tative. The Secretary of the Interior released his proposed criteria in December 1969, and, after receipt of comments by the states, adopted the criteria on June 8, 1970. In general, the criteria are satisfactory to California as they establish rational procedures to be followed in meeting the complex problems of operating Colorado River reservoirs. During the task force meetings on the Operating Criteria, the states of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico strongly urged the Secretary to terminate the Glen Canyon Filling Criteria which was adopted in 1962. This proposal was opposed by California, Arizona, and Nevada. The Secretary agreed to consider the arguments of all parties concerning the Filling Criteria as a matter separate from the Operating Criteria. After a detailed review of all arguments, the Secretary stated on June 8, 1970, that the Filling Criteria will continue. Con- tinuation of the Filling Criteria is worth many millions of dollars a year to public agencies in the Lower Basin states. 3