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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />.11 <br />" <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Western States Water Council <br />Water Res,ources Committee Minutes <br /> <br />San Antonio, Texas <br />October 20, 2005 <br /> <br />WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS <br /> <br />Dave Pope called the meeting to order and welcomed Council members and guests. <br />Introductions were made around the room. It was noted that Tom Maddock has had a mild heart attack <br />and is resting at home. <br /> <br />APPROV AL OF MINUTES <br /> <br />The minutes of the meeting held on July 14,2005 in Seattle, Washington were moved, <br />seconded and unanimously approval. <br /> <br />PROPOSED POSITIONS <br /> <br />First, the Committee marked up the proposed Farm Bill position, as further amended pursuant <br />to an Executive Committee conference call following circulation of the proposal as part of the 30-day <br />notice. The position was discussed and amended further before it was approved on a motion by Jeanine <br />Jones. Of note, the original 7th paragraph was deleted. It was in reference to a proposal made by <br />Senator Harry Reid of Nevada as an amendment to the 2002 Farm Bill, which was unsuccessful. At <br />that time the Council could not agree that there were sufficient protections for state water law, but the <br />Committee determined it would not address the issue unless is was raised again and omitted the <br />following: <br /> <br />"Seventh, the Western States Water Council supports federal funding for voluntary state <br />programs to acquire water rights from willing sellers that would be retired or placed in a trust for <br />public uses, such as instream flows to protect threatened and endangered species. Under such a <br />program, only entities approved by the state would hold such water rights under state laws and policies. <br />The federal government would not be allowed to purchase and hold water rights unless explicitly <br />provided for under the laws of the state in which such water was acquired. " <br /> <br />The Committee also approved a second proposed position, with minor changes, to be addressed <br />to leaders of the National Atmospheric and Space Administration (NASA), U.S. Geological Survey <br />(USGS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), raising concern over the <br />potential loss of Landsat thermal imagery and data due to the impending failure of current satellite <br />capabilities. The growing use of such information for surveying water use and computing <br />evapotranspiration in many states and river basins makes this an important issue. The position notes <br />that no other remote sensing capabilities available at this time, nor for the foreseeable future can <br />provide the high resolution, continuous coverage, and other essential elements for a number of <br />applications as western states struggle to balance present and future water uses and demands. <br /> <br />Next, the Committee recommended that the Council readopt a sunsetting position (#248), in the <br />form of a letter (dated October 24, 2002) to Interior Secretary Gale Norton offering a number of <br />suggestions for improving administration ofthe Endangered Species Act (ESA). However, the letter <br /> <br />3 <br />