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e "\ ~ ;". '"\ ~b.i'1J::.. e Today, in some areas of the West, existing water supplies are, or will be, inadequate to meet the water demands of people, cities, farms, and the environment even under normal water supply conditions, Water 2025, recognizes that state and local governments should have a leading role in meeting these challenges, and that the Department of the Interior (Department) should focus its attention and existing resources on areas where scarce federal dollars can provide the greatest benefits to the West and the rest of the Nation, The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public, A.2 WATER 2025 OVERVIEW A.2.1 Water 2025 Purposes This grants program is being funded under the Western Water Initiative, which was proposed by President George W, Bush in his Fiscal Year 2004 budget request. The Western Water Initiative was the initial step towards Water 2025: Preventing Crises and Conflict in the West, which was announced by Secretary Norton in June 2003. Water 2025 has two purposes: · It provides a catalyst for public discussion of the realities that face the West so that decisions can be made at the appropriate level in advance of water supply crises, · Water 2025 sets forth a framework to identify the problems and formulate and implement solutions to meet local water supply challenges, A.2.2 Water 2025 Principles The Water 2025 framework includes six principles to guide us as we address systemic water problems: · Solutions to complex water supply issues must recognize and respect state and federal water rights, contracts, and interstate compacts or decrees of the United Sates Supreme Court that allocate the use of water. · Existing water supply infrastructure must be maintained and modernized so that it will continue to provide water and power. . Enhanced water conservation, use efficiency, and resource monitoring will allow existing water supplies to be used more effectively, · Collaborative approaches and market based transfers will minimize conflicts between demands for water for people, for cities, for farms, and for the environment. · Research to improve water treatment technology, such as desalination, can help increase water supplies in critical areas, · Existing water supply infrastructure can provide additional benefits for existing and emerging needs for water by eliminating institutional barriers to storage and delivery of water to other uses while protecting existing uses and stakeholders, Water 2025: Preventing Crises and Conflict In the West 2