Laserfiche WebLink
<br />,i <br /> <br />DEPARTMENT 01 the INTERIOR <br /> <br />news release <br /> <br />i <br />~. <br /> <br />OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY <br /> <br />MacfaTlan - 343-4662 <br /> <br />For Release PM's, Wednesday. June 30. 1971 <br /> <br />FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT ON WESTWIDE WATER STUDY ISSUED <br /> <br />Secretary of the Interior Rogers C.B. Morton today released the first <br />Progress Report of the Western United States Water Plan Study. <br /> <br />The 36-page document details the achievements so far in the Westwide <br />Study authorized by Congress in 1968, and includes a Plan of Study <br />for development of a master plan for the management of water and land <br />resources of the Nation's fastest growing region. <br /> <br />Secretary Morton said the progress report is the first of a seTies to <br />be submitted at two-year intervals to the President, the National Water <br />Commission, the Water Resources Council, and membera of Congresa. <br /> <br />") <br /> <br />In a message accompanying the report, Secretary Morton noted that, "Even <br />with massive effort at the Federal-State-local levels of government. WesteTn <br />watu TSSOUTCSS programs generally have not kept pace with, or been full:l <br />responsive to, the needs and desires of the Western people." <br /> <br />The Westwide Study is to be a broad 8-year water reaources investigation <br />to be conducted thToughout the 11 WesteTn States by the Department 01 the <br />Interior. <br /> <br />The Study ultimately will pTovide to the Executive and Legislative bTanches <br />a blueprint of needs and SOUTces of supply fOT pToviding wateT in adequate <br />quality and quantity for those states lying wholly or partly west of the <br />Continental Divide, an area that is both the Nation's fastest growing in <br />populstion and most arid and semi-arid in physiography. The states are <br />California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, <br />Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. Initial funding for the project was <br />provided by Congress in 1970. <br /> <br />The InterioT DepaTtment's study 1s being directed by Wallace R. Christenaen, <br />a veteran planning engineeT of the Bureau of Reclamation. The Study team is <br />located in Denver, Colorado. <br /> <br />.~~ <br />" <br />I <br /> <br />Representatives of the 11 states, some 40 concerned Federal agencies, <br />public and private groups participated in an ad hoc task force to prepare <br />the Plan of Study, establishing ground rules for the conduct of the Study. <br />The Plsn of Study, with comments from various contributors, is being <br />distributed with the Progress Report. <br /> <br />~92'3 <br /> <br />~i[CEiVEl) <br /> <br />JUL 121971 <br />Ct1lU, WATER <br />rilfnl:YATloN rOlM <br />