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<br />., <br /> <br />~an iitgo iaily wraltscript <br /> <br />Historic Water <br />Pact Reached <br /> <br />But Officials Need 7b Clear <br />Next Big Hurdle In LA <br /> <br />1527 <br /> <br />By KIM PETERSON <br />_DI<.._~ <br />San Diego and Imperial Valley <br />water officials heralded Thursdsy <br />the first step t<> bringing an inde- <br />pendent supply of water here, but <br />all eyes are now fOCWIed on <br />clearing the Dext grest burdle at <br />the Metropolitan Water District <br />(MWDJ in Loa Angelss. <br />The San Diego County Water <br />Authority and the Imperiallrrip- <br />tiOD District released this week <br />the t.em:UI of an agreement that <br />will bring up t<> 200,000 acre-foet <br />DC COD..l8rved acrieulturaJ water a <br />year to the county. AIJ aae-foot iJ <br />326,000 plIODa, SDOUgh to serrice <br />a family of four for one year. <br />The pact marka a ohift t<>ward <br />independence for the authority, <br />which currently receives about 90 <br />percent of itl water from MWD. <br />Thia beavy reliance on ODe agency <br />makea local officials uneuy and <br />worried bow another drought <br />could affect the regioll. <br />In 1991, San Diego County <br />faced a 50 perceDt cotback in <br />water supply, .aid Christine <br />Frahm, chair of the authority'. <br />board of directon, - <br />.1 think the leadenhip in San <br />Diego got focused during that <br />drought; Frahm said, "We've <br />takeD that fint step toward <br />laying never again will San <br />Diero'lI economy- have to be <br />impacted in a negative way <br />becaUlle or the unavailability of <br />water: <br />The initial transfer is targeted <br />(or 1999, with an estimated <br />20,000 scre-feet set to go the lint <br />Year. After that, the amount will <br /> <br />ramp up 20.000 acre--feet per year <br />,tor 10 years to mu out at 200,000 <br />Bae-feet. The millimum amOl1D:t <br />of imported water. after the lnitiai <br />.tart,.p ysan, will be 130.000 <br />acre-leet. <br />There il room lor another <br />100,000 aae-feet of water if impe- <br />rial Valley has coDaerved addi- <br />'tiooal lOurce., according' to the <br />agreement. The initiallerm of the <br />deal is 45 yean froOl the dale of <br />effect and may be renewed. (or an <br />additioDal 30-year period. <br />The agreement i.II about tru.Bt <br />Olore thaD anything we, oaid <br />Uoyd AlleD, vice president of the <br />ImperiallrrigatiOD District board. <br />Neither Imperial Valley oar San <br />Diego wanted to back out of Dego- <br />tiatiOI18 once they sta..rted, he laid.. <br />"We were 1lOin&' to see this to <br />the eDd until we both agreed it <br />woula not work.,. he uid. 4K'(t <br />ham't beeD easy. rm telling 1"0 <br />there'll more damn paper over <br />there in Imperial Valley DOW than <br />there ever WBJI in the hiltory of <br />that county." <br />Local officials gave the apP"'" <br />priate congratulatiob.ll and pata on <br />the back Thunday at a ceremonial <br />prea conference. <br />-Buically what you're aettiDc' <br />here u. an example for the rM of <br />the llate of California; oaid ute <br />SeD. David Kelley, Ther.'. DO <br />place elJle to go for waler, bot the <br />cobleI'Ve<! arena in atatewide &en- <br />cultural communiti.., he oaid, <br />Other water int.erests in Cali- <br />famia are c10eely watchiDc the <br />San Diego-Imperial Valley scree- <br />meDt in hopes it will alleviale <br />lame of the ltate'a preaun to <br />llay within ita allowance of "-4 <br />million acre-feet of Colorado River <br />water every year. . <br />More water from Imperial <br />Valley conceivably would mean <br />I... San Diego reliance on the <br />Cotorado River, California cootio- <br />.aIIy has u.ed ita .bsre plDa <br /> <br />MIll ""'t l.. 12. 1887 <br /> <br />lurphu river ..ater, bat it i. <br />rec:eivinl' more pre"ure from <br />other WOItern .talee to cut bock. <br />I ~~ ~~er .ta~ ~ ~ ~ ' <br />00.. at W1JI yel)". very cfaMlj to <br />I.e how aU of thi.a comel <br />together; KeUey oaid. <br />Making lignificant chaopo is <br />always hard. .aid Mayor Suaao <br /> <br />Golding. who served 00 the <br />County Water Authority board for <br />eight yeara. <br />-Water it.elf and alone ill that <br />one ingredient that make. our <br />liVelli here in Southeru California <br />poesible; GoldiDg .aid, "That'. <br />wby ihia agreement bere today is <br />so absolutely critical." <br />But thiJI agreement is only a <br />Ilarling point for the traDafer l<> <br />proceed. The authority next mWlt <br />fo'll" an agreement with the Loa <br />Angeles,baaed MWD to transfer <br />the water bere. <br />San Dieeo must use aqueductll <br />owned, by MWD to import the <br />Imperial Valley waler, The two <br />aeeDciea have battled for years on I <br />a.D appropriate tranlfer price. <br />'Authority officialJl said both <br />agenciell could decide this <br />weekend whether to work. <br />together or call off the deal' <br />completely. <br />The San Diego-Imperial Valley <br />deat i. Dot yet fioaUzed; both <br />!r.Dci..' boarda of ~recton will <br />vote iO- approve after a tw~moDth <br />review period. The authority <br />board has teDtatively scheduled a <br />February vote. <br />petenonChddt.com <br /> <br />.' <br />