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II OIl rrntJj lh:rua L' J II II Law of the River page 7 JI II Environmental Issues page 11 II II II II II Water Marketing page 14 II 0:umm~ II A view of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River. Cover photo by Ben N. Brice C3nfIIt3 II Editor Rita Schmidt Sudman Photos Tom Friedmann Sue McClurgll The Sacramento Bee Rita Sudman U.s. Department of the Interior II Writer Sue McClurg Editorial Assistance Valerie Holcomb Lois Rein II The Water Education Foundation wrluld like to thank all the sources and experts who r~viewed this magazine for balance and accuracy. II The Water Education Foundation is a nonprofit, impartial, tax-exempt organization. Its mission is to develop and implement ~ducation programs leading to a broader understanding of wate~lt issues and resolution of water problems. I \\'lestem \\'later is published by the Water Education Foundation, 7 I 7 K Street, Suite 517, Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 444-6240, fax (9161448-7699. An annual subscription to this bi-mo1nthly maga- zine is $30. The balance of the Found~tion'sinfor- mation program may be supported by larger amounts, which are tax deductible. E-mail: feedback@water-ed.org Web page: www.water-ed.org II President: Henry J. Vaux Jr., Ph.D. ~ Executive Director: Rita Schmidt Sudman II 2 Editor's Desk Keep Tahoe Blue" was the message the president and vice president delivered at the July Lake Tahoe Presidential Forum. Months before, Nevada's Senator Harry Reid invited all California-Nevada factions of the Tahoe debate to participate in a high level summit. As we reported in the last Rita Sudman with Nevada Sen. Harry Western Water, the Sierra Nevada's crown jewel, Reid, who initiated the Tahoe Forum. renowned for its breathtaking clarity, has been losing over 1 foot of transparency annually since the 1960s. I felt honored to receive an invitation to both Vice President Gore's South Tahoe discussion and President Clinton's Forum in North Tahoe. Whether one is a Republican or Democrat it's exciting to be invited to briefly chat with both the president and vice president. Our Tahoe issue writer, Elizabeth McCarthy, was part of the press party that followed the vice president around the Tahoe Basin at a frenzied pace - no stops to eat - trekking behind Mr. Gore on a hike high above the lake. I participated in the discussion of issues led by the vice president on forest health, water quality, transporta- tion and the environment and the economy. Sitting on tree stumps for almost three hours were three presidential cabinet secretaries, three U.S. senators and numerous longtime dedicated lake restoration volunteers. I was seated next to the Washoe Tribe delegation and, fortunately, we had chairs. At the Presidential Forum the next day, President Clinton announced a commit- ment of $50 million and a 27 -step action plan for improving the lake's health. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) had developed a 10-year $900 million plan funded by federal, state and private sources, calling for $300 million in federal funds. While the local agencies and volunteers said they were content with this first $50 million federal installment, the Wilson administration, through Resources Secretary Douglas Wheeler, expressed dissatisfaction, saying the state would rethink its share. Earlier, Gov. Wilson indicated California would fulfill the $275 million requested by TRPA contingent on the federal commitment. Chief Writer Sue McClurg returns to writing Western Water with this issue, focusing on a water resource shared by seven states - the Colorado River. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the negotiations leading to the Colorado River Compact. The framers of the compact tried to envision a future where the river was shared equitably. Today, although there are more interests sharing the river, that vision should remain. Clinton and Gore examine a Lake Tahoe water sample aboard the U.c. Davis research vessel with U.c. Scientist Charles Goldman. See page 18 for more on WEF's latest activities. ~p~ Western Water