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I . " .- j, '-1 j --J REGIONAL WATER AND POWER DEVELOPMENT f. ~ , Regional Planning The Board continued its support of plan- ning efforts, investigations, conferences, and negotiations that may lead to augmentation of the Colorado River. Board members and staff participated in and reviewed activities of the Western States Water Council, Na- tional Water Commission, and Water Re- sources Council in order to keep apprised of the latest policy developments in the water resources field. The present emphasis on the multiple-objective approach in water re- sources planning has an important impact on Board activities. Western States Water Council. The Western States Water Council was created by resolutions of the Western Governor's Conference in 1964 and 1965 to accomplish effective cooperation among the western states in planning for programs leading to integrated developments by state, federal, and other agencies of their water resources. California's Council delegates during 1970 were William R. Gianelli, Director of Water Resources, as Chairman; Gordon Cologne, State Senator, 36th District; and Theodore J, George, Marysville Civil Engineer. Myron B. Holburt, Chief Engineer of the Colorado River Board, and Wayne MacRostie of the Department of Water Resources, served as technical advisors to the California delega- tion. During the year, the Council (1) presented a statement to the National Water Commis- sion containing suggestions on the directions that the Commission's studies should take, (2) developed policies and positions relating to the Western U. S, Water Plan Studies, (3) opposed the proposed legislation creating an Indian Trust Counsel Authority, and (4) took miscellaneous actions relating to the federal "Reservation Doctrine" in western water law, federal water pollution legisla- tion, and amendments to the federal 160-acre limitation, Of particular interest are the Council's comments, submitted to Commissioner Arm- strong on the Bureau of Reclamation's July 1970 draft of a plan of study for the Western U. S. Water Plan Study. The comments are summarized as follows: 1. The proposed study is too broad in its scope, appar- ently suggesting an expansion of ongoing Type 1 Studies authorized by the Water Resources Plan- ning Act of 1965. 2. A single entity should be responsible for the study, control all funds, and delegate specific assign- ments. 3. Procedures and methods to be used in making pro- jections should be more clearly stated. 4. Provisions should be made to allow state participa- tion at the policy and decision making levels of the study rather than limiting state participation to the Bureau of Reclamation's Denver management of- fice. 5. Economic evaluation under existing laws and poli- cies and environmental quality should receive greater emphasis. National Water Commission. The National Water Commission was created by P,L. 90-515, enacted in September 1968, to make a five-year study and recommen- dations to the President and the Congress on the nation's water needs, resources, and problems, Formation of the Commission was initially discussed in connection with the Colorado River Basin Project legisla- tion of 1968. The Commission is composed of seven members who are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the President of the United States. During 1970, mem- bers Samuel S. Baxter and Clyde T. Ellis resigned and were replaced by James R. Ellis and James C. Murphy. The perma- nent staff almost doubled during the year, increasing from 21 to 41. The full person- nel complement is 44. During the first years of its existence, the Commission held national and re- gional conferences for the purpose of re- ceiving the reactions and hearing the re- quirements of water resources officials 33