Laserfiche WebLink
<br />-r~ VV <br /> <br />of it will certainly have their right to express <br />themselves later to not only this Board but to <br />the Legislature. I think all we are doing, as <br />I see it, is reaffirming (at least reaffirming <br />is my thought) that this water is the property <br />of the public dedicated to its use. This is I <br />about all this proposed act does, in my opinion, <br />and I don't think it in any way hurts any future <br />action by the Legislature. If this were going <br />to do anything further than that I am sure you <br />would have had substantial discussion from not <br />only members of the Board but from members of <br />the audience about how this is to be implemented. <br />But I think, generally, the lack of discussion <br />indicates to me that this in no way deters <br />anybody from advocating what they want but <br />merely indicates that water is the property of <br />the public for the public's use." <br /> <br />MR. SPARKS: <br /> <br />"Mr. Goodwin, I have also heard this theory <br />that you have expressed, that this may in some <br />way create some rights in other states. I am <br />at a total loss to understand the reasoning <br />behind such a theory. Water is allocated based <br />upon agreements between the states, and our <br />rights and obligations are already fixed by these <br />compacts. To the Lower Basin, for instance, we <br />have to deliver 75 million acre-feet of water in <br />any consecutive ten-year period at Lee Ferry. <br />That's all. Now whether the water is surface <br />or ground water is immaterial as long as we <br />deliver that volume of water. As a matter of <br />fact, much of that water that is delivered was <br />ground water at one time because in our high <br />mountain ranges, particularly in the slide rock <br />areas, the streams are fed from so-called springs <br />which percolate under ground." <br /> <br />MR. GOODWIN: <br /> <br />"Well, Larry, the only reason I bring this <br />thing up is that there could be a reopening of <br />our allocation of water and I think we should <br />be a little bit careful. We think we are pro- <br />tected now but there is nothing in the world to <br />keep Uncle Sam or somebody else from saying <br />'You've got to renegotiate, reopen, this thing <br />has never been just right.'. So you might be <br /> <br />I <br />