WSP12992 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

The second goal was that California had to demonstrate sufficient transfers of water from the agricultural sector to the urban sector so as to meet specific water use reduction benchmarks tied to specific years. If the QSA was not executed by December 31, 2002 or if the benchmarks were not met the terms of the ISG provided for the suspension of the special surplus water releases. Finally, it is important to note that the special surplus releases provided for under the terms of the ISG provide an incredible benefit to California. It has been estimated that the ISG water going to MWD during the fifteen year interim period is worth as much as $1.8 billion. This is one of the reasons that the State of California is making a very strong effort to negotiate and implement a restructured QSA as soon as possible. B. Failure to have an effective QSA by December 3 1,2002 - For a variety of reasons the goal of having a QSA executed by all three parties - liD, MWD, and Coachella - was not achieved by December 3 1, 2002. Although liD approved the QSA on December 3 J, 2002, a number of issues remained unresolved from the perspective of MWD and Coachella. For example, difficulties remained in regard to environmental mitigation costs stemming from the linkage between the QSA water transfers and the proposed reclamation of the Salton Sea. Similarly, MWD and San Diego had unresolved wheeling issues, and it was unclear whether certain state funds could be committed to environmental mitigation costs. In any event, as a consequence of the failure to have an effective QSA in place by the end of the year California's opportunity to use special surplus water in accordance with the guidelines was suspended by the Secretary. In addition, the Secretary took administrative action to reduce the amount of water available to lID for 2003 in accordance with certain determinations made by the Secretary in connection with the Arizona v. California decree and regulations contained at 43 CFR Part 417. By reducing the amount of water to be delivered to lID the Secretary was then able to increase the amounts of water going to MWD and Coachella. C. Current status of QSA negotiations - In early January the Governor of California appointed a number of senior staff to supervise continued negotiations to develop a restructured QSA that would be acceptable to the water agencies, the State of California, the other basin states, and the Department of the Interior. Negotiations are continuing at this time and it appears that good progress is being made toward the resolution of remaining issues. If an agreement can be worked out the state would then take actions within the next few months to allocate state funds and make certain adjustments in existing state laws (via legislative action) and carry out other QSA facilitation actions (via executive branch action) so as to provide for a completed QSA sometime later this year. With an enforceable QSA in hand the water agencies and the state would then seek the support of the other basin states and the Department of the Interior to have the special surplus water releases under the guidelines reinstated. D. Linkage to the Salton Sea - Although not intended in the early formulation of the QSA, the QSA water transfers have become more directly linked to the possible reclamation ofthe Salton Sea. As originally envisioned, lID was to make conserved water available for transfer to the urban agencies through efficiency water conservation 2