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<br />elements" document. Senator Kempthorne (R-ID), the
<br />Subcommittee Chair, expressed hopes to soon receive
<br />legislative language that the group has been working on
<br />for several months, as did House and Senate committee
<br />staffs. Mr. Harja stated that the language can be
<br />expected before the end of July. The Subcommittee
<br />plans to draft reauthorization legislation in eariy August.
<br />
<br />Wetlands
<br />
<br />This week, a hearing on wetlands-reform legislation
<br />was held before the Senate Subcommittee on Clean Air,
<br />Wetlands, Private Property and Nuclear Safety. The
<br />Wetlands Regulatory Reform Act of 1995 bill (S. 851)
<br />has been introduced by Senators Johnston (D-LA and
<br />Faircloth (R-NC). Its revisions of Section 404 of the
<br />Clean Water Act are similar to those in the Clean Water
<br />Act rewrite (H.k. 961) passed by the House on May 16.
<br />
<br />To qualify as a wetland, S. 851 would require water on
<br />or above the land surface for 21 consecutive days during
<br />the growing season. The bill divides wetlands into high,
<br />medium and low values and establishes regulatory
<br />processes for each classification. Although the bill does
<br />not provide compensation for diminished private property
<br />values, it contains provisions designed to ensure that
<br />property values are not "substantially diminished."
<br />
<br />WATER RESOURCES
<br />
<br />Oregon/Bureau of ReclamatlonlWater Conservation
<br />
<br />Last month, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and
<br />Oregon Department of Water Resources (ODWR)
<br />announced the beginning of a new collaborative water
<br />management relationship, with the first phase being a
<br />partnership in administering respective agency water
<br />conservation programs. On June 6, Reclamation
<br />Commissioner Dan Beard and Martha Pagel, ODWR
<br />Director, signed a joint funding agreement for a water
<br />conservation staff specialist in Bend, Oregon. The new
<br />position will help provide technical assistance and advice
<br />to agricultural water districts on the application of water
<br />conservation planning guidelines, and ensure
<br />coordination and consistency in order to avoid
<br />duplicating requirements under overlapping federal and
<br />state programs.
<br />
<br />The Oregon Water Resources Commission has
<br />adopted state rules governing the preparation and
<br />implementation of water conservation plans by irrigation
<br />
<br />districts, and Reclamation is developing similar
<br />guidelines (WSW #1104). Ms. Pagel stated, (__
<br />pleased that the OWRD can be part C" ....
<br />intergovernment agreement that shows we can worR
<br />together to find least-cost alternatives for carrying out
<br />much-needed water management projects.... Water
<br />users and the resource will benefit, but the public is the
<br />ultimate beneficiary."
<br />
<br />In addition, the Oregon Water Resources Congress,
<br />representing irrigation districts in Oregon, has a
<br />considerable interest in water conservation planning
<br />efforts. Under a federal grant, the Resources Congress
<br />has been working closely with both ODWR and
<br />Reclamation over the past year to develop model
<br />conservation plans, following state guidelines.
<br />Moreover, according to Executive Director Jan
<br />Boettcher, "We are currently working on a sub-basin
<br />conservation plan which coordinates seven districts in
<br />one region of the state in a regional plan."
<br />
<br />Water Resources Research
<br />
<br />On July 13, the House Resources Committee's Water
<br />and Power Resources Subcommittee approved H.R.
<br />1743 to authorize continued funding under the Water
<br />Resources Research Act of 1984 through FY2000 -.....
<br />measure covers funding for water resources reseai ...
<br />institutes across the nation. The bill authorizes spenc" ,g
<br />$5M in FY96, $7M for FY97-98, and $9M in FY99-2000.
<br />It would also require that federal grants be matched 2-1
<br />by non-federal monies.
<br />
<br />PUBLICATIONS
<br />
<br />The Legislative Counsel Bureau of the State of
<br />Nevada has published a "Summary of Statutes in the
<br />Western States Concerning Forfeiture of Water Rights"
<br />dated June 1995. It cites statute sections, lists contact
<br />persons, and reviews key aspects of the provisions. The
<br />Legislative Counsel Bureau has also released a
<br />collection of charts entitled: "Basic Administrative
<br />Structure-of Water Planning and Regulatory Functions in
<br />Western States (Activities Related to Water Quantity
<br />Rather Than Water Quality." The charts show the
<br />organizational structure of the water administrative
<br />agencies of western states, the relationship between
<br />water planning and regulatory functions, and names of
<br />contact persons. Both of these documents can be
<br />obtained from the Research Division of the State of
<br />Nevada Legislative Commission at (702) 687-6825.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />The WESTERN STATES WATER COUNCIL Is an organization of representatives appointed by the Governors
<br />of member states - Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon,
<br />South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming - and associate member states Alaska, Montana and Washington.
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