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,.. ,~ . rigation season with just 3.2 million acre-ft of water held over from last year. In an average water year, they would .' have about 7 million acre-ft of carryover water. The shortfall has forced the bureau to cut its water deliveries from about 7 million acre-ft a year to a projected 4.6 mil- lion acre-ft this year. However, due to a coordinated operating agreement the bureau has with the state, it will have to kick in extra water this year to maintain water quality in the San Fran- cisco Bay/San Joaquin Delta. As a result, the Central Valley Project will enter next year with just 2.9 million acre-ft of carryover water. At that leve~ says BuRec spokesperson Jeffrey S. McCracken, "If we don't get precipitation weD above normal we're in trouble. We're so depleted, even average precipitation and snowpack will leave us in bad shape." McCracken refused to specu- late on the delivery levels the bureau may be able to maintain without sufficient precipitation. The bureau is now trying to get funding to purchase 74,000 acre-ft of surplus water the P1asser County Water Agency has available. The agency is willing to make a one-time sale of the water to BuRec for $45 per acre-ft. McCracken says that, if it can purchase the water, BuRec will put it exclusively toward maintaining flows in wildlife refuges. . WATER BANKS AID DROUGHT RESPONSE IN IDAHO Idaho water users are being encouraged to look at state and local water banks as a water-supply shortage continues to develop due to drought. The state water- supply bank, administered by the Water Resources Board, is a voluntary water-marketing program that facilitates the long-term leasing or seasonal rental of available water rights that have been placed in the bank. The water-supply bank is a f1enllle system for the tem- porary redistnllution of existing water rights to alleviate local shortages, said Keith Higginson, director of the Idaho Department of Water Resources. "Presently, there are water rights for use on ap- proximately 950 acres of land available in the board's Idaho Water Bank right now, and we encourage people to inquire of the department's regional offices as to what water rights may be available for particular areas, n Hig- ginson said. Higginson is also encouraging holders of water rights on Conservation Reserve Programs or other set-aside APrograms to consider placing those rights that aren't 1I'being used into banks so they may be put to beneficial 6 JUNE 1990 use instead of sitting idle. Some water users have rights to ema storage, Higgin- son said, and those holders may put that storage in the bank for temporary reallocation to the benefit of everyone. Water users who have shares in canal com- panies or irrigation districts can work together under the arrangement to acquire additional water supplies. "The department has taken a liberal attitude toward water-rights transfers in water short years," Higginson said, a policy that is nOl common in other western states. The Idaho water bank was established by the state legis- lature in the Idaho State Water Plan in 1976. ARIZONA PASSES BASINWIDE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY In one of the few important bills to emerge from the 39th legislative session, Arizona legislators have authorized the creation of a water-augmentation authority to develop new water supplies and distnllute existing resources in the Tucson Active Management Area. The area covers about 4,500 sq mi in southern Arizona. Surprisingly, the bill, S.B. 1556, breezed through the legislative process with little controversy, in part, be- cause it prohibits the authority from acquiring ground- water rights in rural areas outside the Tucson basin and transferring them into the area. The authority would be limited to water within the Tucson Active Management Area, Central Arizona Project water and Colorado River water purchased from Indian tribes. "We don't need to go out to Douglas or other areas to get other people's ground water," said Senator John Mawhinney, sponsor of the bill. "The people of southern Arizona believe we can deal with our own problems . predominately within the basin by wisely man.g;ng the resources we have." The bill authorizes the creation of an initial board of seven members, appointed by the governor, to examine the fe8Slbility of estab1ishing an authority to manage water supplies in the Tucson basin. The authority would have the power to do the foDowing: . Act as a water wholesaler to water users throughout the basin. . Charge fees for contracts to provide water. . Assist water suppliers in the basin to obtain assured water supplies needed for future growth and develop- ment. . Issue bonds to acquire, construct and operate water recharge, underground storage and recovery, and 0216