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<br />
<br />i.UG~
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<br />The federal Departmelit of Housing and Urbe,ll Devolop:aent Has
<br />dropped us a .ne,',lber of PSIAC and an iliVitation was e,~t~nded to the
<br />newly created Depart,ilent of Ener:;y to join.
<br />
<br />1975 i~ational \later ASS0sSLlent
<br />
<br />The Board's staff contillued 'co be involved in the federal
<br />\'later Resources Council' s i~ational Uater Assess;,leiLt by participatilig
<br />in regional asseS:';i:lents for the Louer Coloraclo Region alLcl the Califor,lia
<br />ReGion. The study 1!OS desi(;lled to idoIJtify the jlOtioll' s severe Hater
<br />Proble,Js, establish ';Jriorities, and (l'".mhasize the need to resolve the
<br />Proble,.1s ide.ltified, Hhether existing or ei.lCr[';ing.
<br />
<br />During 1977, the fina.l s\ll(linary report for the Lower Colorado
<br />Region 1;las reviev!ed by the stnff and CO"J.-.1ents \'Jere sub,ait.tecl resultille;
<br />in 11lodifications beillg "lade to state:,lents in the r<'lport cm,cerIJinc.;
<br />Colorado River Hater supply, llater qU2.1ity, river losses, and the lau
<br />of the river. The report recolilr,lel'lC1ed tlk,t 1!ater conservation ;;lCasures
<br />for irrigated nc;ricultural and urban users bG encouraged, including
<br />increased edphasi3 all federal nssistcUlce fur irrigation i',mnac;e;nent
<br />services ane! syste;ils L:mroveiilent, tn.1.t the "Rare and l!:ndail[;erod Species
<br />Act" be reappraised to assess L.Jpacts on the national socio-cconoi;'lic
<br />Hell-being and wheth0r it is ill the j~G.tiol1al interest to protect species
<br />and subs)Jecies of ObSCU1"e origin and ::Jinor econo,nic or scientific
<br />interest, that distinctiOil be :Jadc betHeeil natural uildlifc habitat
<br />Yfmch exists only as a result of inefficient \"ater use, \lith i.l1prOve,.lCllt
<br />of the latter not being subject to ..litigation for incidental \"lilcllife
<br />habitat, and that the federal governaent avoid any intrusion into the
<br />states' role in the allocation, distributioll, alld adjudica'tion of
<br />\"later rie;hts.
<br />
<br />For the California Re;;ion, the final sUinaary report Has received
<br />and it Has noted that the report clGscribed 'tHO 'Jroble';'l issues that Here
<br />of concern to the Board, Saltoll Sea salinity aUll Colorado River salinity
<br />Li1pact on Califoraiao The re;Jort reCO;illllGucled continuation of the
<br />Bureau of Reclx:Jation's Colorado River \later iluality Llprove",leHt
<br />Program on an accelerated basis, including related proGrads of the
<br />DepartiJl()lLt of Agriculture and continued bi1silJ\lic!e or rcgi Olial Dlannil.g
<br />efforts.
<br />
<br />In f;Jarch 1977, 'che Principal Engineer representee! the state tea..l
<br />for the Lower Colorado Region, u,lder contract Hith the Hatei" Resources
<br />Council, at a i~a'cional AS3CSS;iIGnt UurJ.;shup ill i,:e\l Or-leanso The purpose
<br />of the 1I0r),cshop HilS to revie\J the Council's process for developillg the
<br />proble,L1 analysis ole.dent of the 1975 i~atiollal AssGss,;mnt and the Council's
<br />involvedent in a l'ic.tional COlllen'llLCO on \Jatei" scheduled for Hay in
<br />St. Louis. The vlorl:shop atte,L1p'cec\ to e!evelOiJ a conSCllSU3 position on
<br />1~ater problel,ls to bc hicorilorntee! into a letter 'co be delivered to
<br />President Carter. Thc CoulLcil rcproser.tatives Here cOllcerned about \lorking
<br />closely \lith state represelita'tives to develop a credible clocu;,lellt.
<br />The Prillcipal EnGineer Has instr\L:Jental in c;etting incorrect data for
<br />the Colorado River B--J.Si,l corrected.
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