Western States Water Council 2001 Report

Home Browse Search

The Water Resources Committee discussed the drought legislation, and recent congressional briefings. Pat Tyrrell and Craig Bell reviewed their presentations at the Senate Water Conference? Special guests included: Mike O'Neill, U.S. Department of Agriculture, discussing water conservation and water security; Kevin Crum, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, describing the installation of removable weirs to aid downstream fish passage at Columbia and Snake River dams; Chris Hyland, Corps, and Gary James, Umatilla Tribe, explaining the Walla Walla River Basin feasibility study to restore anadromous fish runs; and Kathy Peter, U.S. Geological Survey, discussing streamgaging. Clive Strong, Idaho Deputy Attorney General, and Norm Semanko described water issues in Idaho, emphasizing conjunctive use issues and the Nez Perce settlement, before the Legal Committee. Bill Staudenmaier highlighted provisions of the Arizona Water Rights Settlement, while Craig Bell and Shaun McGrath reported on the prospects for other Indian water right settlements. Jim Davenport reported that a WSWC report on water right "takings" had been accepted for publication by the Denver Water Law Journal. Bill also described claims by state agencies with responsibility for state school trust lands (carved out from federal lands), to assert federal reserved water rights. The Water Quality Committee discussed and approved the recommended changes to the WGA policy resolution related to the Clean Water Act and and areas, and considered the need to renew other WGA resolutions. Roger Gorke described EPA Office of Water activities and talked about the documentation of environmental results. Paul Frohardt discussed water quality standards for effluent dependent and dominated waters, and Tom Stiles added his thoughts on water quality and water quantity related issues. Craig reviewed an earlier report by the Council on water reuse and ground water recharge. Lastly, the Committee talked about issues related to tribes setting and administering water quality standards, pursuant to treatment as states under Section 518 of the Clean Water Act. 148th Council Meetings Seattle, Washington July 12 -15, 2005 The Western States Water Council's 148th meetings were held in Seattle, Washington July 13 -15, where the Council celebrated its 40th anniversary, having been established by the Western Governors Conference in 1965. On Thursday evening, July 14, former Council members joined in person and by phone with current members to share recollections. These included Wes Steiner, former advisor to Governor Pat Brown of California when the Council was created and later Executive Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources and Council Chair, and Roland Westergard, a current member having the longest tenure of any member in the history of the Council - 37 years, and also a former Council Chair while serving as the head of the Nevada Department of Natural Resources. Mr. Steiner spoke about the creation of the Council and Mr. Westergard reflected on the history and accomplishments of the Council. Other former officers of the Council also spoke. The evening culminated with remarks by Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner, John Keys, who read a congratulatory letter from President Bush, a former ex- officio member of the Council while serving as Governor of Texas. The anniversary program was preceded on Wednesday morning with a workshop on "Water Data Collection and Management Programs," a field trip organized by the State of Washington on 3Western States Water, Issue #1612, April 8, 2005. 19