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<br />lO <br /> <br />ESTABLISHED OPERATING PRINCIPLES CAREFULLY WORKED OUT AMONG THE <br /> <br />STATES, WATER USERS, THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION AND OTHER FEDERAL <br />AGENCIES. NOW WE FIND THAT OUR TRADITIONAL WISDOM ABOUT THE <br /> <br />RIVER MAY NOT APPLY TO ALL DECISIONS. <br /> <br />THE, PROCESS OF REEVALUATING OUR OPERATING PROCEDURES HAS ALREADY <br />BEGUN WITH THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION MEETING ON AUGUST 29 WITH <br /> <br />THE STATES. THE U.S. CONGRESS ALSO IS INVOLVED. THE HOUSE INTERIOR <br /> <br />AND INSULAR AFFAIRS COMMITTEE HELD HEARINGS ON THE SUBJECT LAST <br /> <br />WEEK IN CALIFORNIA AND ARIZONA. PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION SUGGESTS <br />THAT THE BUREAU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB UNDER THE UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES. <br /> <br />DELIBERATION WILL CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS TO DETERMINE <br /> <br />WHAT TO DO WITH OUR LATEST PROBLEM--FULL RESERVOIRS. <br /> <br />WE MAY LEARN A GOOD DEAL FROM THIS EXPERIENCE ABOUT HOW TO PLAN <br />FOR EXTREME EVENTS. ALTHOUGH THE FOLKS ALONG THE COLORADO BORE <br /> <br />THE FULL BRUNT OF THE FLOOD, WE TRUST THAT ANY LESSONS LEARNED <br /> <br />ABOUT RIVER MANAGEMENT WILL BE AppLIED TO THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE <br /> <br />LIVING IN OTHER RIVER BASINS. <br /> <br />SPORHASE AND EL PASO <br />-- <br /> <br />THE SPORHASE DECISION SURPRISED MANY OF US. BUT FOLLOWING THAT <br /> <br />DECISION BY THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, THE ~ PASO CASE WAS ALMOST <br />A FOREGONE CONCLUSION. OUR GREATEST CONCERN, AND I KNOW THE STATES <br />SHARE IT, IS THAT THESE DECISIONS MAY MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR <br /> <br />THE STATES TO CONTROL AND MANAGE THE WATERS WITHIN THEIR BORDERS. <br /> <br />C-15 <br />