States near consensus on Colorado River water-sharing pact

Don Thompson

Thursday, May 25, 2000 | 9:50 a.m.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The seven Colorado River states are on the verge of an agreement that would give Southern California 15 years to cut its use of river water.

If California failed to follow through, the grace period would end immediately and upriver states could start withholding water, under a plan that could be approved by mid-summer, negotiation participants said.

The plan was scheduled to be presented to representatives of the states at a meeting in Phoenix on Thursday.

Southern California water districts have been using more than their legal share of Colorado River water for their growing metropolitan areas and to irrigate crops in desert regions.

The new plan calls for them to conserve water and store surplus water in wet years in giant new reservoirs such as 4,500-acre Diamond Valley Lake, which began filling in March. Other states are concerned California has delayed projects such as the $200 million lining of the All-American Canal to prevent water leakage.

Penalties for California are key to getting Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming to go along with the plan, David Hayes, deputy secretary of the federal Department of the Interior, told California lawmakers at a hearing Wednesday.

"California ... can count on potentially a full aqueduct for Southern California for 15 years. But it's not a free ride; it's only if California adheres to its promises of reductions over time," Hayes said in an interview. "California has to follow through or it will be at risk of not having the water supply it needs for Southern California."

Lawmakers agreed with criticism of California.

"One of the things we've been good at in this state is slipping deadlines," said Assemblyman Mike Machado, D-Linden.

Under a 1922 agreement, California is allowed 4.4 million acre-feet of water a year from the Colorado River. However, only 550,000 acre-feet is slated for the heavily populated coastal strip and inland regions.

An acre-foot is about 326,000 gallons, or enough water for eight people a year.

The Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District, which owns the aqueduct that supplies water to 16 million people in Southern California, for the last few years has been taking as much 5.2 million acre-feet of Colorado River water to meet demand.

Most of that goes to the Coachella Valley Water District and the Imperial Irrigation District for crop irrigation in their desert regions.

The proposed agreement could end a debate over California's overuse that dates back to 1991, representatives of upriver states said.

The agreement amounts to a "soft landing" for California, though at some risk for upstream states, said Wayne Cook, whose Upper Colorado River Commission represents Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

"It's a comprehensive plan. It's what we've been looking for by way of a commitment by California," said Herb Dishlip, who represents Arizona and Nevada in negotiations. "It's better to have seven states in agreement than six against one. ... It will be better to put this issue of California's overuse behind us."