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<br />000680 <br /> <br />AttarhmeDtC. <br /> <br />DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR <br /> <br />PRINCIPLES GOVERNING VOLUNTARY WATER TRANSACI10NS <br />THAT INVOLVE OR AJ'Il'ECT FACILITIES <br />OWNED OR OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR <br /> <br />December 16, 1988 <br /> <br />PREAMaT .R: <br /> <br />Tnmsactions that involve WIrtez rights.and SUpplies. are .occurriDg pursuant tQ State law. with <br />fucieasing ftequency in tbeNadoD, paldcul8r1Ykrthe Western United. S1ate8. SJJdl . <br />transactions include direct sale ofwmer rights; lease ofwater'rigbtB; dry~y.ear optiOllS OIl <br />water rights; sale oflanci with associated water rights; ~ coDSel'V8tiori investmeDts .with <br />subsequentassigmnentof~~. . .... . <br /> <br />The Federal Government, as owner of.~ sigDifiC8llt portion oftbe Nation's water stOrage and <br />conveyaDCe facl1iiiess cariassist Slates TnDal, and 10000autbOri1iesin meetiDg local or regiODal <br />water needS. by. improviDg or facilitating the improvement ofmanagement pmCtiC:es with . <br />respect to existing water supplies.EJ.clumses in type, locatiOll or priority of use that are <br />accornpli~.accordin8 to State law cali 81low water to be wied more efticiendy to meet <br />changiDg Water demands. and also caD pro~1 and eJlhln.~.tbe FedeAl iavestment in emnw,g <br />18ciUties. Inadmtion, water exchanges can serve to improve iDany local and Ind... <br />reservation economieS. . . <br /> <br />DOI's interest in vc)Jun1ary ~ 1rarisactions proposed by others derives fioman expe.'1,t:oo <br />that, to an.increasiDg. degree, DOl will be asked to approve, t8ciUtate, 01' otbawiae <br />aCcommOdate. Sucll1raDsactions that iDvolVe or affect facilities owned or ~ by its <br />agencieS.. The DOIalso wishes toberespOJisive to the July 7,1987, resolution of tile Western <br />Governors'Association, whicll~ ~ . the ASSOciation's July 12, 1988s meeting, <br />that the DOl "develOP .and isstieapolicy"to facilitate Water transfers which involve water <br />and/or faciJitiesproVided by the BureaU ofReCJ8ID8d0lL" . <br /> <br />. . <br />The folloWing principles are intended tc:) atrordDwomUriJflexibillty to ~ Tribal, and local <br />entities to arrive a,t mutually ~ble solut.,ioDSto tb~ water resource problems and . . <br />del1l8Ild& At the Samedm~ these Principles aieiDtended to be clear 88tob legal, <br />contractual, and regUlatory ooncemsthat DOl mUst cOnsider in itsevaluatioD of proposed <br />transactions. . <br /> <br />1 <br />