California agencies finalizing Colorado River deal

Thursday, Sept. 4, 2003 | 11:22 a.m.

SUN STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

SAN DIEGO -- Discussions among four Southern California water agencies were expected to continue today as officials put the final touches on a long-awaited pact to share the waters of the Colorado River. But lawmakers warned that the deal, which could ease Nevada water woes, could once again come undone.

An accord would mean that California could avoid a short-term water crisis. The deal would restore California's privileges to take additional Colorado River water, which were taken away because the state failed to meet a Dec. 31 deadline to reach agreement.

It would also be good news for Southern Nevada because it would free up the so-called interim surplus -- billions of gallons of water that have been blocked when the California agencies didn't reach an agreement earlier, Vince Alberta, spokesman for the Southern Nevada Water Authority, said.

"We are optimistic from what we've heard," Alberta said. "We just want an agreement because with an agreement we have access to the interim surplus."

The 75-year deal is aimed at easing California's overdependence on the river so other thirsty Western states, including Nevada, can claim their full share. The heart of the deal involves the transfer to San Diego County and the Metropolitan Water District millions gallons a year from farmers in the Imperial Valley, the state's biggest user of Colorado River water.

It calls for the Metropolitan Water District, which serves 17 million Southern California customers, to buy 800,000 to 1.6 million acre-feet of water annually from the rural Imperial Irrigation District through the state government, Metropolitan Vice President Adan Ortega said.

The purchase would provide $60 million to $120 million annually for Salton Sea restoration, a key environmental issue that has complicated the water talks for years.

It would also have the state pay to line canals that bring water to Southern California from the Colorado River.

Numerous other details are included in the proposal in an effort to balance out the many competing needs, Ortega said.

A series of bills that would clear the way for the deal were being hurriedly drafted in Sacramento and key lawmakers said they planned to push them through both the Assembly and Senate before the Legislature adjourns next week.

"There's a lot in this," Ortega said. "Right now everybody is in a rush to get it through the Legislature and to our boards."

A draft of a two-page summary of the agreement being discussed in Sacramento was obtained by The Associated Press. The summary, to be circulated to state lawmakers, stated that the four agencies have "finalized" the deal, known as the Quantification Settlement Agreement or QSA.

"It looks like it's coming together," said Joe Canciamilla, a Pittsburg Democrat who chairs the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife.

Sen. Mike Machado, D-Linden, who chairs the Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee, was optimistic. "If what's out there comes to fruition, this deal should stand the test of time," Machado said.

Alberta said Southern Nevada Water Authority officials didn't know whether the agreements included the water authority's previous offer to buy water from Southern California for $82 million. Water authority officials made the offer to help resolve differences among the California agencies.

Only a few weeks ago Canciamilla announced his intention to draft legislation intended to punish the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the state's largest urban water agency, for holding up the water deal sought by the Bush administration and the six Western states that share Colorado River water.

Hopes for a deal seemed dim two weeks ago when San Diego, Imperial and the Coachella Valley water districts said they would part ways with Metropolitan and reach an agreement among themselves.

Assistant Interior Secretary Bennett Raley, the Bush administration's point man on Western water issues, flew to Sacramento and told them the idea wouldn't fly. Raley urged the parties to continue to work through their differences, leading to Wednesday's agreement, which included Metropolitan.

Dennis Cushman, assistant general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority, said his agency's representatives were continuing to negotiate in Sacramento and declined to say whether they were close to a deal.

"This process perhaps represents the longest gestation period known to mankind," Cushman said. "We have had contractions on quite a number of occasions but have not so far experienced the joy of delivery."

Disagreement between the agencies meant California failed to meet a Dec. 31 deadline set by the Interior Department last year. In response, Interior Secretary Gale Norton punished the state by cutting California's draw from the river this year by 15 percent.

That action also cut off Nevada's access to surplus water.

The state, and specifically Metropolitan, will be able to draw the additional water until 2016 if a deal is approved.

An agreement would also allow Southern Nevada to draw a share of the interim surplus from Lake Mead. The additional 37,000 acre feet of water from the Colorado River system would represent a 10 percent increase in the amount of water the region is permitted to draw from the lake this year, Alberta said. An acre-foot of water is 326,000 gallons, which is enough for a typical family for a year.

Having that additional water would mean the water authority could go longer without tapping into water reserves banked here and in Arizona, Alberta said.

Canciamilla said only a few "technical points" needed to be wrapped up. One involved using $235 million from the state budget to install a concrete lining on the All-American Canal that carries Colorado River water to the Imperial Valley. Lining the earthen canal would capture an additional 32.5 million gallons each year.

The deal also called for the state to commit to a $20 million study of how to fix the Imperial Valley's Salton Sea, a major stop for migratory birds.

Sun reporters

Dan Kulin, Launce Rake and the Associated Press contributed to this story.