Pacific Southwest Water Plan Section Analysis

Document: Committee Print, Pacific Southwest Water Plan Section Analysis, page 66 PACIFIC SOUTHWEST WATER PLAN PRIORITY PLANNING Section 104 directs that priority shall be given in planning projects on tributaries of the Colorado where local water supplies exist or can be made available by replacement or exchange, such as is contemplated under the central Arizona project. Also, planning for projects which will utilize water by diversion from the main stream or otherwise meet water deficiencies shall be expedited. The investigations will establish, among other things, the amounts of main-stream water that should be reserved for diversions for new uses in Arizona counties abutting the Colorado River. Similar priority would be given to projects in areas of origin of import supplies and to completion of feasibility reports for lining the All-American Canal system, subject to appropriate contract modifications. CONTINUING STUDY Section 105 directs the Secretary, in cooperation with the States and the regional commission, to maintain continuing studies of the water supply and demand in the region, the reports thereon to be complementary to the studies he is required by law to make of water quality in the basin. COST ALLOCATIONS Section 106 provides for allocations of project costs to the customary categories, with the addition of area redevelopment and joint costs for recreation. Contemporary practice would be followed in this regard with one exception; namely, costs of measures to mitigate fish and wildlife damage would not be allocated to that function but would be distributed among the project purposes. This change in reclamation law has been recommended by the administration in the proposed Federal Water Project Recreation Act (H.R. 9032) now pending before the Congress. GENERAL PROVISIONS Section 107 enumerates certain provisions of general application to the plan. These include a proscription applicable to all projects in the plan, with certain minor exceptions, against expansion of irrigated acreage with project water or water made available because of a project. A basic 50-year repayment period for irrigation repayment contracts is established, which has been customary practice for many years. Contracts entered into under section 9(e) of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 (43 U.S.C. 485h (e)) would be limited to providing water for not more than 50 years, and if the water to be provided thereunder is no longer needed for irrigation purposes during the term of the contract, the Secretary would be empowered to make the water available for municipal or other purposes. This latter provision is included to facilitate changes in form of use from agricultural to municipal use caused by urbanization and at the same time secure municipal rates for the water. Inasmuch as the initial Pacific Southwest water plan would not provide a full water supply for the needs of the central Arizona area--both for irrigation and for municipal and industrial uses--until such time as sufficient water is available to meet all demands, it isEpson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 1,531,272 byte