BOARD02475

• Board Meeting Date: 3/21/2002
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

. John Keyes, Commissioner, Bureau of
Reclamation
. Ed Schrock, State Senator, Chairman of the
Natural Resources Committee
.. Roger K. Patterson, Director, Nebraska
Department of Water Resources
. Merlyn Carlson, Director, Nebraska
Department of Agriculture
. Rex Amack, Director, Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission

. Don Batie, Board of Directors , Nebraska
Water Users
. Dave Sands, Executive Director, Audubon
Nebraska
. Ron Bishop, General Manager, Central Platte
Natural Resource District
. Don Kraus, General Manager, Central
Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District

Deep Creek Wilderness Legislation: On Feb. 13 U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis (R-Grand Junction) announced
he was changing the name of his proposed Deep Creek Wilderness Area. Rather than calling the area Deep
Creek, it would be called the Yampatika Ute Wilderness. The bill is still pending in the House Resources
Committee while negotiations continue regarding the water rights language in the bill.

Western Water Security Tops Subcommittee Agenda: On Feb. 5 the House Subcommittee on Water and
Power identified its goals for 2002. According to the Subcommittee, water security is a critically important
issue and for the past 15 years, the West has been experiencing the most dramatic demographic changes for
any region or period in the country's history. Should present trends continue, by 2025 population in
Reclamation states may increase by approximately 26.5 percent or alrnost 33.5 million people. Chairman
Ken Calvert's listed the Subcommittee 2002 Priorities as:

. Focus 011 water management in the Colorado River Basin states. A top priority is g;etting California to cut
its demand for Colorado River water by about 15 percent from approximately 5.2 million acre feet
million-acre-feet (mat) to 4.4 maf over the next 15 years.

.. Provide oversight ofthe Klamath Basin. Assure that data used in decision making by regulatory agencies
is based on the proper i11terpretatio11 of data. The National Academy of Sciences says faulty decisions
have been made with huge social and economic consequences.

. Pass the Western Water Security Enhancement Act (H.R. 3208). The bill:

-- Authorizes $500 million per year for competitive grants so states can improve water quality, supply
and management

-- Improve the Bay-Delta Area in California. The bill re authorizes CALFED, a program designed to
restore ecological health and improve water rnanagernent in the Bay-Delta system

-- Assure that California reduces its use of Colorado River water.

-- Authorize Reclamation improves the recreation management of existing projects.

-- Allow for loans and loan guarantees to be rnade for water projects.

New Committee Chief of Staff: Tim Stuart has been named as Chief of Staff of the House Resources
Committee.

New External and Intergovernmental Affairs Director: Reclamation Commissioner Keys has announced
the appointment of Mark Limbaugh of Fruitland, Idaho, the former president of the Family Farm Alliance, to
be Reclamation's Director of External and Intergovernmental Affairs.

EPA's New Watershed Protection Program: On Jan. 28 the EPA announced that the President will seek
$21 million in FY 2003 to create a new program aimed at restoring pollution-damaged streams and rivers.
. With the new program, the agency plans to choose 10 watersheds that deserve more protection through
grants to states, tribes and local communities, EP A Administrator Christine Todd Whitman said last week.
For more information visit www.ePa.gOv/owow/watershed.

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