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<br />Fax:3038663558 <br /> <br />? <br /> <br />U.S. DeDartment of the Interior <br /> <br />Rug 5 '99 11 <br />:22 P.02 <br />. bUp:I/WWW.doi.gov1news/990804a.1Itml <br /> <br />FAt: RAJJOY S~AII7J~ <br />Ceo c.8 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />California's colorad~ River Water Talks SU(;lX:llsfUl e <br />..... <br />- <br /> <br />Office of the Secretary <br /> <br />For release: August 4,1999 <br /> <br />Contact: Paul Bledsoe (Interior Dept.)(202) 208-6416 <br />Pete Weisser (Cal. DWR) (916) 653-9712 <br /> <br />California's Colorado River Water Talks Successful <br /> <br />Negotiations among the largest California water agencies that utilize Colorado river water supplies. the <br />Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the Imperial Irrigation District, and the Coachella <br />Valley Water District _ have been successful. After nearly a year of effort, and working against an August <br />3 deadline, negotiators for the parties reached consensus late last night on all core elements of a <br />framework agreement. The agreement will resolve long-standing water quantification and use disputes <br />that date back to the 1930s, and which have blocked progress in distributing and utilizing an essential <br />California water supply -- the Colorado River. . <br /> <br />"Because of this agreement, the goal of bringing California's take of Colorado River water under control <br />is now more clearly in sight," said Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt. "1 am delighted that David <br />Hayes, working with Governor Davis and his water chief, Thomas Hannigan, were able to facilitate this <br />imponant milestone. The historians of California water will now be able to say the 20th century ended <br />with a key achievement, one which can facilitate smarter approaches in the next century. " <br /> <br />The negotiations were led by David J. Hayes, Acting Deputy SecretaI)' of the Interior and Thomas M. <br />Hannigan, director of California's Department of Water Resources. The framework agreement will be <br />presented to the water agency boards for approval and implementation within the coming weeks. <br /> <br />"The parties have resolved all major issues and are incorporating their understandings in a framework <br />agreement," Hayes said. "This is the keystone agreement that Southern California needs to help secure its <br />water future." <br /> <br />liThe complicated arrangements necessaI)' to accomplish an agreement have their genesis in the 1932 <br />Seven party Agreement and the 1934 Compromise Agreement," stated Hannigan. "The 1930s-era <br />structure must be modernized if California is to move forward with sound water planning. The framework <br />agreement will make that possible." <br /> <br />Hannigan added that "reaching agreement on a new quantification approach also it a key step in <br />implementing the 'California 4.4 Plan,' under which the State ofCalifomia is endeavoring to reduce its use <br /> <br />, ,08105/99 07 <br />