Statement of the Board of Directors, The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California on the Pacific Southwest Water Plan

Document: Statement of the Board of Directors, The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California on the Pacific Southwest Water Plan, November 1, 1963, page 1STATEMENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS THE METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ON THE PACIFIC SOUTHWEST WATER PLAN SUBMITTED BY JOSEPH JENSEN, CHAIRMAN TO THE CALIFORNIA WATER COMMISSION SACRAMENTO -- NOVEMBER 1, 1963 The Board of Directors of The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has given careful consideration to the Pacific Southwest Water Plan, as outlined by the Secretary of the Interior in his report of August, 1963. The substance of the plan affords the Board no alternative but to oppose it and the Board does hereby go on record as expressing such opposition. Southern Californians have been cognizant of the water shortages in the Pacific Southwest, and particularly in their own area, for many decades. A half century ago the first imported water entered the coastal plain of Southern California through the Los Angeles Aqueduct from the eastern slope of the Sierras in Inyo and Mono Counties. In the 1920s, the planning began which resulted in the formation of the Metropolitan Water District and the construction of its Colorado River Aqueduct system at a cost of approximately one-half billion dollars. To replace this system, which has just been completed, would cost more than one billion dollars. There is no area in the West which has expended so much money without financial help from Federal or State sources or made such strides in handling its water shortage problems as Southern California. Because Southern Californians have been living with the water problems of the Southwest for so many decades, they will give serious and sympathetic consideration to any proposals advanced to ease shortages. They recognize there may be value in cooperative efforts by local, State and Federal agencies but they will insist that any cooperative programs shall protect existing works and certainly not destroy them. In addition to the existing works bringing water long distances to Southern California, the State of California has developed a comprehensive water plan and the electors of the State have authorized the issuance of bonds in the amount of $1.75 billion to support and finance it. The Metropolitan Water District has contracted for a supply of water from the northern part of the State to be made available under this plan. The State is actively engaged in constructing the works necessary to conserve and deliver such water which will be needed as soon as it can be made available. The District's share of the State's capital outlays and the cost of the additional distribution works to be built by the District will exceed $2 billion.Epson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 24 bit, 1,928,544 byte