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<br />0010'"3 <br /> <br />Local environmental concerns about water trades and transfers can be more readily <br /> <br />addressed through placing terms and conditions on the transfer projects. The historic <br /> <br />agreement between Inyo County and the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power <br /> <br />concerning Los Angeles' pumping of groundwater from the Owens Valley is ilIustrative.9 The <br /> <br />agreement coordinates the amount of allowed pumping with monitoring of the water table and <br /> <br />the status of local vegetation. The agreement offers the Valley environmental protection, <br /> <br />enhancement of fisheries and recreational opportunities, local control.of town water supply <br /> <br />systems, auctioning of municipal lands owned by Los Angeles, and financial support of their <br /> <br />local governments. The agreement offers Los Angeles a potentially larger but certainly more <br /> <br />reliable supply from Owens Valley. <br /> <br />With the continuation of drought in California, controversy has arisen in Inyo County <br /> <br />over the effectiveness of the agreement to protect the local environment. In November; three <br /> <br />incumbent supervisors in Inyo County faced recall elections because they approved the <br /> <br />. agreement. However, all recalls failed - each received about 40 percent of the vote. <br /> <br />ROLE OF POTENTIAL lRANSFERS IN <br />REGULATORY/ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF AGRICULTURAL WATER USE <br /> <br />Thus far, I have addressed issues relating to the capacity and willingness of irrigation <br /> <br />organizations to engage in voluntary water trades. However, irrigation organizations also face <br /> <br />9 See "Coming to Terms: A Proposed Agreement for the Owens Valley Dispute," Water <br />Strategist 1, 2, 12-14 (July 1989). See also. "Coming To Terms Again," Water Strategist 5 (Oct. <br />1989). <br /> <br />13 <br />