Decision delayed on California water use

Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2002 | 9:49 a.m.

The board of a California agricultural district was scheduled to meet this afternoon on an issue that affects the water supply for millions of consumers in California and Nevada.

The board of the Imperial Irrigation District was originally scheduled to meet Monday night, but delayed the meeting until today. The district helda workshop on possible solutions to an impasse between the district and other water agencies in Southern California.

But board members want extra time "to weigh all their options before they vote," district spokeswoman Susan Giller said Monday.

The Interior Department vowed to reduce the amount of water California and Nevada can take from Lake Mead unless a solution can come from California's water agencies on reducing water use. The critical component of that commitment would come from the Imperial Irrigation District.

But the district's farmers and majority of board members fear the long-term economic impact of the agreement. The district has forwarded counterproposals, but those so far have not been accepted by either other California water agencies or the Interior Department.

Giller said the district board is not likely to accept the original pact, an agreement that would cover water use over the next 75 years.

The board and members still hope that some agreement can be reached, she said.

"There have been negotiations going on relentlessly over the past week or so," Giller said.

Interior Department officials, including Secretary Gale Norton, have said they will cut California's water use by about 800,000 acre-feet next year and Southern Nevada's use by about 30,000 acre-feet, or 10 percent of its total, unless the pact is ratified before the end of the day.

One acre-foot is about equal to 326,000 gallons, about enough water for a typical family for one year.

Southern Nevada Water Authority officials have said they have enough water stored in reserves to meet needs despite the cutback. However, the authority is drafting a plan to better conserve water because of the threatened cutback and the effects of more than three years of drought.