Statement of Joseph Jensen, Chairman

Document: Statement of Joseph Jensen, Chairman, Board of Directors, The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, 2-23-65, page 9Ninety per cent of the water used in San Diego County comes from the Colorado River. San Diego has no underground basins from which to secure any water. Its plight is, therefore, more serious than that of Arizona. Comparative 1964 statistics are as follows: Population Assessed Valuation San Diego County 1,125,000 $1,182,000,000 Arizona (except Mojave County) 1,546,000 2,000,500,000 San Diego County uses one-fourth of Metropolitan's Colorado River water. Even if California does receive 4.4 million acre feet of water, Metropolitan, having the lowest priorities, is reduced to 550,000 acre feet, so San Diego's requirements are really one-half of what Metropolitan will receive from the Colorado River under the 4.4 million acre foot limitation. San Diego County's condition represents the most extreme in Metropolitan, but all other areas in Metropolitan are confronted with similar, although not as great, difficulties. Metropolitan at best could meet only half its water requirements, whereas Arizona at worst would ultimately only be reduced to about one-half of its Central Arizona Project water. Finally, Metropolitan has received no Federal funds. Metropolitan still owes more than one-half of the bonds issued to build its aqueduct, which at best will be only half full if the Arizona Project is built. Many years will pass before the Central Arizona aqueduct is reduced to half capacity.Epson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 1,881,617 byte