[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 112 (Friday, August 3, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1531]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       COLORADO RIVER QUANTIFICATION SETTLEMENT FACILITATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DUNCAN HUNTER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 2, 2001

  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, as you know, the story of the American West 
is one of a relentless quest for our most precious resource: water. 
Hundreds of rivers have been diverted and dammed, and thousands have 
lost their lives over this precious resource. Many of these battles 
continue today as our Western population rapidly grows, environmental 
regulations increase, and farmers find themselves in the outrageous 
predicament of arguing over what should have a priority during water 
shortages: the livelihood of their families and communities--or fish.
  Today I am proud to introduce the Colorado River Quantification 
Settlement Facilitation Act. This legislation will enable California to 
avoid future water conflicts by establishing the means for new 
conservation measures. In addition, it will ensure a reliable source of 
water for Southern California's many agricultural and urban users.
  For decades, California has been using approximately 800,000 acre 
feet per year more from the Colorado River than its 4.4 million acre 
feet water right. Understandably, the other river basin states, with 
many of their communities growing rapidly, have long expressed concern. 
They feel our continued use of their surplus water, with no plan to 
wean ourselves from such use, will come into conflict with their 
inevitable need to utilize their full water rights.
  In recent months, the California Colorado River water agencies and 
the other basin states came to an important agreement. This agreement 
established a time-line for California to gradually, over fifteen 
years, decrease its dependency on the Colorado River and live within 
its 4.4 million acre feet annual allotment. The agreement establishes 
new operating procedures that allow California to continue to use 
excess river water, while they develop ways to establish agricultural 
conservation measures. This will make possible increased transfers of 
water to urban areas and ensure our future compliance. Further, the 
agreement mandates that California adhere to specific benchmark 
conservation goals, which if go unmet, California would immediately be 
forced to live within the 4.4 million acre feet allotment. Such a 
scenario would prove disastrous to our state.
  My legislation will help California avert such a crisis by providing 
a degree of certainty in completing the agreement's required 
benchmarks, funding off-stream reservoirs to store surplus water, and 
insuring compliance with the Endangered Species Act by funding 
environmental mitigation in and around the Salton Sea. The Sea, in my 
district, is the largest lake in California and habitat for hundreds of 
species of birds and fish, which I aim to protect against the effects 
of any water conservation measures.
  Again, I introduce the Colorado River Quantification Settlement 
Facilitation Act. This bill will promote conservation and enable 
reliable water supplies for California for decades to come. I urge my 
colleagues' thoughtful consideration.

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