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<br />001972 <br /> <br />This memorandum directed the Implementation of the following part <br /> <br />c <br /> <br />of the President's water polley, announced on June 6, 1978: <br /> <br />~.: <br /> <br />States must be the focal point for water <br />resource management. These water reforms <br />are based on this guiding pr\nc\p\e. <br />Therefore, I am taking several Initiatives <br />to strengthen federal-state relations <br />In the water polley area and to develop <br />a new. creative partnership. . . <br />[TJhe actions I am taking Include: <br /> <br />. . <br /> <br />* <br /> <br />* <br /> <br />* <br /> <br />an Instruction to federal agencies to work <br />promptly and expeditiously to Inventory <br />and quantify federal reserved and Indian <br />water rights. In several areas o~ the <br />country, states have been unable to allo- <br />cate water because these rights have not <br />been determined. this quantification <br />effort should focus first on high priority <br />areas. should Involve close consultation <br />with the states and water users and should <br />emphasize negotiations rather than liti- <br />gation wherever possible. <br /> <br />The Task Force has attempted to carry out this Presidential <br /> <br />dlrectlve.11 This report summarizes the Task Force's efforts and <br /> <br />II This report has little to do with Indian reserved water rights. <br />The President carefully separated Indian and non-Indian federal re- <br />served water rights In establishing task forces to carry out his <br />polley. There are sound reasons for this distinction -- principally <br />the Federal Government's trust responslbl tlty for Indians, and because <br />Indian reserved water rights typically relate to purposes substantially <br />different from those of non-Indian federal agencies. In what follows. <br />then, every reference to federal water rights should be understood to <br />mean non-Indian federal water rights unless otherwise clearly Indicated. <br />Also. the recommendations contained In sectIon IV of this report repre- <br />sent the recommendations and views of the Task Force and not necessarily <br />the officIal views of any department or agency of the Federal Government. <br />The Individual agency reports attached hereto as appendices have been <br />officially approved by the Individual department, agency or bureau. <br /> <br />-2- <br />