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<br />Administrators, and Lorna Stickel, Chair of the Oregon
<br />Water Resources Board, outlining a draft watershed
<br />management bill being circulated by Rep. Les AuCoin
<br />(D-OR), The Committee also heard an update on
<br />Clean Water Act (CWA) reauthorization matters, and
<br />a description of a related meeting on western water
<br />quality issues ry./SW #926). Further, EPA's efforts to
<br />define comprehensive state ground water protection
<br />plans were discussed. A presentation on state
<br />assumption of the CWA Section 404 program was
<br />rescheduled for the July meeting because an EPA
<br />spokesman was unable to attend.
<br />
<br />The Executive Committee met to review the current
<br />budget report and other matters. Of particular note,
<br />with the addition of Hawaii as a full member this past
<br />year, the Council determined R could maintain the
<br />existing level of dues unchanged through fiscal year
<br />1994/95. Dues have not increased since 1987/88,
<br />
<br />The Legal Committee addressed general water
<br />right adjudications in Arizona, Idaho, Oregon,
<br />Washington, and Wyoming, and some recent court
<br />decisions. Members also heard presentations on
<br />Oklahoma v. EPA ry./SW #930), Nebraska v. WvominQ
<br />ry./SW #929), and South Dakota v. Needham ry./SW
<br />#892 and #873). Council staff reported working on
<br />a summary of western state water right permitting
<br />procedures, and preparations for a second
<br />WSWC/Native American Rights Fund Symposium on
<br />Indian Water Right Settlements on September 1-3, in
<br />Albuquerque, New Mexico.
<br />
<br />Finally, the committee held a provocative and in-
<br />depth discussion on the Endangered Species Act. A
<br />panel of experts included: Steve Sanders, Oregon
<br />Attorney General's Office (moderator); Elizabeth
<br />Holmes Gaar, National Marine Fisheries Service; Frank
<br />Dunkle, Nationwide Public Project Coalition; Anne
<br />Squier, Northwestern School of Law; Gail Achterman,
<br />Attorney; Rob Lothrop, Columbia River !ntertribal Fish
<br />Commission; and John Volkmann, Northwest Power
<br />Planning Council.
<br />
<br />The 106th WSWC Quarterly Meeting began Friday
<br />morning with brief reports by the working committees.
<br />The Council adopted two policy positions. The first,
<br />on dam safety, urges the Administration and
<br />Congress to restore funding for the Federal
<br />Emergency Management Agency's dam safety work,
<br />reauthorize and update the Dam Safety Act of 1986,
<br />
<br />and provide appropriate federal financial assistance.
<br />The second position marks the 20th Anniversary of .
<br />the Clean Water Act and urges states to proclaim
<br />1992 as the 'Year of Clean Water" and October 1992
<br />as 'Clean Water Month.' The Council also adopted
<br />two resolutions of appreciation recognizing the
<br />contributions of Dave Walker and Jeris Danielson
<br />ry./SW #933 and #929).
<br />
<br />Most of the meeting was dedicated to a
<br />discussion of the Columbia River System in an era of
<br />change. Various issues were addressed by a panel
<br />including: WSWC Chairman Bill Young, Director of
<br />the Oregon Department of Water Resources
<br />(moderator); Robert Flannagan, Corps of Engineers;
<br />Ken Pedde, Bureau of Reclamation; John Palensky,
<br />Bonneville Power Administration; Bob Turner, Special
<br />Assistant to Washington Governor Booth Gardner;
<br />and Andy Brunelle, Special Assistant to Idaho
<br />Governor Cecil Andrus. The panel described the
<br />hydrology and development of the Columbia River
<br />system and efforts to improve operations to meet the
<br />demands placed on the resource for water, power,
<br />recreation, navigation and fish and wildlife protection
<br />and enhancement.
<br />
<br />Concern is focused on restoration of depleted
<br />salmon stocks, several of which have been proposed .
<br />for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
<br />The many federal and non-federal dams within the
<br />system provide enormous water and power benefits,
<br />as well as a gauntlet of obstacles challenging both
<br />upstream and downstream migration of anadromous
<br />fish. The complexity of the system and varying public
<br />values result in difficult intergovernmental and
<br />interagency management problems that can be
<br />confusing and frustrating, The precipitous decline of
<br />certain salmon stocks is creating pressure for change.
<br />Several separate, but related, reviews are underway,
<br />and various actions are being considered and
<br />implemented. Last year, BPA committed $100 million
<br />to fish conservation. Some, Corps and Bureau dams
<br />are storing water for release, while the pool at others
<br />is being lowered up to 40 feet to increase the velocity
<br />of downstream flows to aid fish migration. Idaho has
<br />enacted new legislation to allow the necessary water
<br />transfers. Flexibility and innovation will be needed to
<br />resolve system problems, and tradeoffs are inevitabie.
<br />
<br />The next WSWC Quarterly meetings will be held
<br />in Salt Lake City, Utah, on July 8-10.
<br />
<br />The WESTERN STATES WATER COUNCIL is an organization of representatives appointed by the Governors .
<br />of member states - Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North
<br />Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, wRh Oklahoma as an associate member
<br />state.
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