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<br />ciation and commendation of his highly profes-
<br />sional and faithful service, and for the strength
<br />and zeal he has exerted in his efforts to safe-
<br />guard the Colorado River water rights of the
<br />people of this State." The state legislature en-
<br />acted tesolutions of appreciation and commen-
<br />dation in honor of Mr. Cole for his more than
<br />37 years of responsible service to the State of
<br />California in the field of water resources.
<br />Upon recommendation of Mr. Cole, Myron
<br />B. Holburt, Principal Hydraulic Engineer, was
<br />designated as Chief Engineer, Colorado River
<br />Board, on a temporary basis effective March 8,
<br />1968. Following examination and in accordance
<br />with civil service procedures, Mr. Holburt was
<br />appointed by the Board as Chief Engineer on
<br />October 1, 1968.
<br />Effective May 8, 1968, Vernon E. Valantine,
<br />formerly Chief of the Operations Branch, South-
<br />ern District, Department of Water Resources,
<br />accepted appointment as Principal Hydraulic
<br />Engineer.
<br />In August 1968 Gilbert W. Lee, Supervising
<br />Hydraulic Engineer, resigned to accept employ-
<br />ment as an attornev with the legal office of the
<br />Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
<br />Mr. Lee had been with the Board since 1954.
<br />lVlr. Ronald C. Hightower joined the Board staff
<br />on August 26, 1968, as Supervising Hydraulic
<br />Engineer. Mr. Hightower transferred from the
<br />position of Chief, Engineering Services Section,
<br />Design and Construction Branch, Southern Dis-
<br />trict, Department of Water Resources.
<br />
<br />Negotiations and Conferences
<br />Members of the Board and staff have con-
<br />tinued deliberations and negotiations in a wide
<br />range of activities which are of vital importance
<br />to California's interest in the Colorado River
<br />System. These are considered in substance in
<br />other sections of the annual report and include
<br />conferences and negotiations with representa-
<br />tives of other states and the federal government
<br />with respect to: (1) Colorado River Basin legis-
<br />lation, (2) Type I-Comprehensive Framework
<br />Studies of the land and water resources of the
<br />southwest, (3) regional water development of
<br />the western states, (4) unresolved issues in Ari-
<br />zona v. California litigation, (5) water supplies
<br />and deliveries from the Colorado River, includ-
<br />ing the Mexican Water Treaty obligation, (6)
<br />river management probelms, including operation
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<br />of water and power facilities, and (7) salinity
<br />problems at the northerly boundary of Mexico.
<br />
<br />Liaison and Information Activities
<br />
<br />In addition to conferences and meetings per-
<br />taining to the several subjects mentioned above,
<br />members of the Board and staff attended and
<br />participated in numerous meetings of organiza-
<br />tions or groups having a prime interest in water
<br />policy matters at local, state and national levels.
<br />In part, such organizations were the Colorado
<br />River Water Users Association, the National
<br />Reclamation Association, the Pacific Southwest
<br />Inter-Agency Committee, the Southern Califor-
<br />nia Water Conference, the California Water
<br />Resources Association, the Irrigation Districts
<br />Association and the Los Angeles and California
<br />State Chambers of Commerce.
<br />Board members and counsel spoke before sev-
<br />eral organizations interested in the problems of
<br />the Colorado River and the need for regional
<br />water planning to meet the future needs of the
<br />Pacific Southwest.
<br />A completely revised and illustrated edition
<br />of the brochure "California's Stake in the Colo-
<br />rado River" was distributed in early 1968. The
<br />material is of particular benefit to California cit-
<br />izens interested in the basic problems of water
<br />supply faced by the more than 10,000,000 resi-
<br />dents of CaliforIlia who are dependent upon
<br />Colorado River water.
<br />Mr. Valantine met with the Needles Chamber
<br />of Commerce on June 26, 1968, to discuss the
<br />River Management Plan of the U. S. Bureau
<br />of Reclamation and reasons why the plan rep-
<br />resents a satisfactory merger of many divergent
<br />interests. He stated that the river management
<br />program was designed to provide the maximum
<br />total benefi t to all interests and water users on
<br />the river.
<br />During the period June 19-24, 1968, The
<br />Wenatchee Daily 'Vorld sponsored Survey '68,
<br />a trip described as a "flying seminar" for western
<br />water resources leaders from 12 states, Washing-
<br />ton, D. c., and Canada. Messrs. Rummonds and
<br />Holburt participated in the event. In reporting
<br />to the Board on the merits of Survey '68, Mr.
<br />Holbun stated, in part, that the opportunity for
<br />western water leaders to spend a week together
<br />and to exchange views proved to be extremely
<br />valuable in bringing about a greater understand-
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