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<br />AUG~06-1899 FR~ 08:02 AM UPPER CO RIVER COMN <br />~ e <br /> <br />FAX NO. 8015318705 <br />e <br /> <br />P. 02i07 <br /> <br />. " <br /> <br />v' <br /> <br /> <br />NEWS <br /> <br />U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR <br /> <br />Office of the Secretary <br />For release: August 4. 1999 <br /> <br />Contact: Paul Bledsoe (Interior Dept.) <br />(202) 208-6416 <br />Pete Weisser (Cal. DWR) <br />(916) 653-9712 <br /> <br />California's Colorado River Water Talks Successful <br /> <br />Negotiations among the largcst California water agencies that utilize Colorado river water supplies <br />- the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the Imperial Irrigation District, and the <br />Coachella Valley \Vater District - have been successful. After nearly a year of effort, and working <br />against an August 3 deadline, negotiators for the panies reached consensus late last night on all core <br />clcments of a framework agreement. The agreement will resolve long-standing water quantification <br />and use disputes that date back to the 1930s. and which have blocked progress in distributing and <br />utilizing an essential California water supply - the Colorado River. <br /> <br />"Because of this agreement, the goal of bringing California's take of Colorado River water under <br />control is now more clearly in sight," said Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt. HI am delighted <br />that David Hayes. working with Governor Davis and his water chief, Thomas Hannigan. were able <br />to facilitate this important milestone. The historians of Call forni a water will now be able to say the <br />20~" century ended with a key achievement, one which can facilitate smart~r approaches in the next <br />century," <br /> <br />The negotiations were led by David J. Hayes, Acting Deputy Secretary of the Intelior and Thomas <br />M. Hannigan. director of Cali fomi a's Department of\Vater Resources. The framework agreement <br />will be presented to the water agency boards for approval and implementation within the coming <br />weeks. <br /> <br />"The parties have resolved all major issues and are incorporating their understandings in a <br />framework agreement," Hayes said. 'This is the keystone agreement that Southern California needs <br />to help secure its water future," <br /> <br />"The complicated arrangements necessary to accomplish an agreement have their genesis in the <br />1932 Seven Party Agreement and the 1934 Compromise Agreement," stated Hannigan. "The 19305- <br />era structure must be modernized if California is to move forward with sound water planning. The <br />fra.1Jlework agreement will make that possible." <br />(more) <br />