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STERN 1'[0.-~.- -. ~-- 0\8 <.'\ F" ~TES WATERIIZ>~.=Ji -~ ~y NEWSLETIER OF TIlE WFSrERN STArns WAJli[:x.UNCIL . n .c' < "') .,) UU.1.0_" September 1 0, 1993 Issue No. 1008 1 Creekview Plaza, Suite A-201/942 East 7145 So. / Midvale, Utah 84047 / (801) 561-5300 / FAX (801) 255-%42 editor - Tony Willardson typist - carrie Curvin WATER RESOURCES Drought/General Accounting Ollice (GAOl . The GAO has released a report requested by Rep. John Dingell, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, on Federal Efforts to Monitor and Coordinate Responses to DrouQht. The report covers data gathered and used by federal agencies to report drought conditions, as well as past and current federal mechanisms to plan, monitor and coordinate the government's response. Briefly, the report notes that collecting and reporting data is a collaborative, multi-level effort undertaken primarily by three federal agencies: the U.S. Geological Survey; the National Weather Service; and the Soil Conservation Service. The report states, "Although each agency has a unique mission, all three agencies have overlapping data needs and share much of the information or collect data on a cooperative basis." The report also found, "State and local governments make important contributions of work and funding to this effort," and that federal, state, and other users are generally satisfied with the data on drought. . With respect to federal agencies' response activities, the GAO found, "No permanent federal organization is responsible for monitoring drought conditions and planning the government's response to drought. Instead, individual agencies carry out these activities and make various arrangements to cooperate with one another. When drought has been severe or has had widespread geographic impacts...temporary federal interagency committees have been set up to coordinate the response. However, because drought periodically has had more and more signnicant impacts on large areas and segments of the economy, temporary committees may no longer be able to do the long-term planning needed for such droughts, chairman - Dave Kennedy executive director - Craig Bell promptly resolve policy differences among federal agencies, or coordinate the federal response...." In the past ten years, the report states that major droughts have occurred in California and the West, the Midwest and the South. "A drought occurs in at least part of the United States almost continuously...." The report adds, "As these recent examples illustrate, major droughts occur periodically in areas across the nation and are likely to occur again, creating impacts that may signnicantly change the way we live." The Western Water Policy Review Commission was created last year to address increasing demands on water in the West and the GAO states that "...the appropriate committees of the Congress may wish to request that the commission consider whether a permanent mechanism is needed to improve the ongoing planning and coordination of the federal response to drought." The commission could also be asked to consider whether such a mechanism should resolve policy differences among federal agencies. The report (GAO/RCED-93-117) can be ordered bV calling (202) 512-6000; or using fax number (301) 258-4066. OregonJWater ConseIvation In 1987, Oregon became the first state to enact legislation encouraging users to conserve water by allowing water rightholders to use water saved through conservation projects on new lands or to sell or lease the water to other users (ORS 537.455 to 537.485). On July 20, the Oregon legislature enacted changes to streamline the application process and broaden the number of qualifying projects (H.B. 2155-A). The 1987 law provided the legal means for the Oregon Water Resources Commission (WRC) to grant users the right to keep a portion of conserved water for their own use. Before 1987, any water saved through conservation measures was available to other users downstream.