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0184 . Colorado River Association 417 Soulh Hill Slreel Los Angele., California 90013 . lffi~[IrE~Vi~il~ AP::< .': - 1966 G_.J. ""'~~ CONS[Ci,\LC,'J BOARD lo.$ A....calfo.$ E-~"'...c AMO SUNDAY H INER C-2 Goorge R. Heant Jr., Publisher Thursdoy, March 24, 1966 H* Donald Goodenow, Managing EdItor . _~.~;U'llt':':~~:'>~~~ '~~;c.:.~~~_ Friends With bills in Congress promis- ing a Federal survey of all of the water needs of the Pacific South- west. in c1 u din g the semiarid states of California and Arizona. it is refreshing to note a friendly hand reaching toward this area from Oregon. The need for more water in the Southwest states is not immedi- ate, but planning is necessary for possible needs of the future. The Columbia River wastes far more than ISO million acre feet annually into the Pacific Ocean. Less than 10 million acre feet of the wasted water from this mighty river would satisfy the needs of the en- tire Pacific Southwest. no matter how fast the population grows. Here in part is what the New- berg, Ore., Graphic newspaper says in an editorial: "It has been estimated that a water flow approximate to the Willamette's at Salem would give California and Arizona all the water they would need. Consider- ing the Columbia's volume. . . this much water would hardly be missed. . Oregon In "Biggest danger seems to be to fish life. and if this could be solved. we think it would be a wonderful scheme to transport some of our surplus water to the arid southwestern regions. "After all, the United States Constitution forbids states to set up barriers against each other. "Columbia River water flowing south to California and Arizona would be a tremendous boon to the arid eastern Oregon country as well. "The water situation isn't going to get any better. . . it will get progressively worse. We hate to see any area deprived of water simply because a few politicians (Democrats and Republicans alike) want to make an issue of it," Our thanks to the fair-minded sentiments expressed in the New- berg Graphic. The Pacific South- west will require only a small fraction of the Columbia River's mighty wasted flow to make its deserts bloom and its cities grow. All this area asks is a small frac- tion of surplus water now going to waste.