Section Analysis of Pacific Southwest Water Plan Bill

Document: Section Analysis, A Bill To approve a regional approach to the development of the water resources of the Pacific Southwest, to authorize features of the Initial Pacific Southwest Water Plan, and to establish a Pacific Southwest Regional Water Commission.", April 1964, page 1River Storage Project Act, but has been modified in light of the proposed Federal Water Project Recreation Act (H.R. 9032). A specific reservation of Colorado River water is directed for non-Federal fish and wildlife uses in the region outside of California. The total of 84,000 acre-feet annually for this use would be reserved as follows: Arizona, 57,000 acre-feet; Nevada, 22,000 acre-feet; and New Mexico, 5,000 acre-feet. Availability of this water in each State will be dependent upon the amounts of mainstream water required to supply rights under the decree of the Supreme Court in Arizona v. California et al., existing on the date of enactment of this Act. California is excluded from the reservation because water for this purpose as proposed in the fish and wildlife report would be available under the decree only on an interim basis in the absence of modification of the California Colorado River water delivery contracts through accommodation among the California water users. Availability of water for this purpose in New Mexico will require modification, by agreement of the appropriate parties, of the decree in Arizona v. California et al. Recreation is not included because consumptive use of water solely for this purpose is nominal. No further statutory authority is required to reserve water for these purposes in connection with Federal programs, subject to the decree in Arizona v. California et al. (h) Indian irrigation projects. Extension of the Colorado River and construction of the White River Indian irrigation projects are included as part of the regional 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 mainstream or otherwise meet water deficiencies shall be expedited. The investigations will establish, among other things, the amounts of mainstream 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. 6Epson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 1,575,147 byte