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<br />Written Statement of <br />Ronald R. Gastelum, Chief Executive Officer <br />For the <br />Metropolitan Water District of Southern California <br /> <br />Before the <br />Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee <br />April 29, 2003 <br /> <br />Good Morning. My name is Ron Gastelum and I am the Chief Executive Officer of the <br />Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. We are a supplemental supplier of <br />water for our 26 member public agencies and ;rovide 50-60% of the water ,used by the <br />over 17 million peQple in oUL~,2~Q.-uare ffille service area. <br /> <br />California's plan and efforts to reduce its use of Colorado River water to its basic annual <br />apportionment of 1:..4 million acre-feet absent surplus Colorado River water and unused <br />Colorado River water apportionments of Nevada and Arizona have faced a seemingly <br />endless number of unanticipated challenges and changing conditions. I commend the <br />Governor, his team and the other participants for their efforts to bring a proposal forward <br />in the face of such challenges. <br /> <br />Today, you are being asked to consider almcating funds from Proposition 5OJ,Q help pay <br />the e' ted costs of the proposed Imperial Irrigation District (IID) transfer of Colorado <br />River water to the San Diego County Water Authority (Authority). The transfer is a part <br />of the larger agreement commonly referred to as the Quantification Settlement <br />Agreement (QSA), or the QSA. <br /> <br />You have asked Metropolitan and the other witnesses to respond to certain questions and <br />to explain the consequences to our water supply and water rates depending upon whether <br />the QSA IS executed and California's access to special surplus water under the Colorado <br />~ <br />River Interim Surplus Guidelines is reinstated. We have participated with the Governor's <br />office and the other water agencies in providing a joint response to the Committee's <br />request for detailed background information on the QSA. I have attached to this <br />testimony appendices in response to your specific water supply and water rate questions. <br /> <br />In my testimony I will address your water supply and water rate questions, but will also <br />provide some context to illustrate how we manage our system, and how our Colorado <br />River water supplies fit within that system. This context should help explain our <br />responses to your questions. <br /> <br />Tab 1 in the appendices depicts the mix of water supply resources we are drawing upon <br />to meet water demands in our service area this year. It shows how we plan to manage our <br />resource portfolio whether or not the QSA is executed and the access to special surplus <br />water is reinstated. In ~we would meet about 14% of demands with C 0 River <br />1'\..... <br /> <br />-2- <br /> <br />.~ <br />""{~ <br />