[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 137 (Wednesday, November 12, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1524-E1525]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THANKING PATRICK MILLIGAN

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. PAUL COOK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 12, 2014

  Mr. COOK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a retiring 
leader of the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, Patrick 
Milligan. Patrick Milligan was born in San Bernardino in 1937. His 
family started one of the original citrus farms in Rialto. He fondly 
recalls memories of growing up in Rialto during a time when he and his 
friends could walk through vacant land shooting bb guns. In 1955, he 
graduated with honors from San Bernardino High School and later 
graduated from Stanford University and Stanford Law. He returned to his 
hometown and began practicing trial law in 1961, starting a law firm in 
San Bernardino where he continues to practice law. Pat is married to 
Jean Miller Milligan and has four children, two of whom have followed 
in his footsteps as attorneys.
  In 1964, at the age of 28, Pat was elected to the Board of Directors 
for the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District (Valley 
District). He has served on the Board for over 41 years and has served 
as President

[[Page E1525]]

of the Board for 19 of those years, almost half of his tenure. When Pat 
was elected, Valley District was only 10 years old. So, Pat has been 
involved in building this new agency from the ground up. He ``hit the 
ground running'' helping Valley District settle two lawsuits with 
Orange County Water District and Western Municipal Water District, 
respectively. The settlements fairly divide water resources providing 
the downstream agencies with the guaranteed amounts they desired while 
providing the upstream, Valley District service area, the flexibility 
they desired. The resulting court judgments are still used to this day 
to manage water resources. To help reduce the possibility of costly 
lawsuits in the future by providing a forum where water issues could be 
discussed, Valley District along with Orange County Water District, 
Chino Basin Municipal Water District (now Inland Empire Utilities 
Agency), and Western Municipal Water District formed the Santa Ana 
Watershed Project Authority.
  Pat was also instrumental in settling a 40-year legal dispute that 
involved both the Department of Water Resources and Metropolitan Water 
District of Southern California (MWDSC). He directed the effort to 
negotiate with MWDSC which led to a cooperative agreement. Under that 
agreement, MWDSC has purchased some of Valley District's unused 
imported water from the State Water Project resulting in substantial 
revenues used to build facilities and purchase water for storage 
locally. The agreement also benefited MWDSC when their partially 
completed Inland Feeder Pipeline was connected to Valley District's 
Foothill Pipeline allowing MWDSC to fill their newly constructed 
Diamond Valley Reservoir before their pipeline was complete.
  When Pat took office, Valley District had a contract with the State 
of California to receive up to 98,000 acre-feet of water from the State 
Water Project but Valley District had no facilities in place to 
distribute the water. Under his leadership, Valley District built a 
regional pipeline system that began with the 84,000 foot long, 6.5 foot 
diameter Foothill Pipeline. The system now spans from Rialto in the 
west to Yucaipa in the east. To save money, these facilities were built 
in partnership with other water agencies. Pat shepherded this ambitious 
project through good and bad economic times, and never lost the vision 
to complete these regional facilities. Later, Valley District had the 
foresight to purchase an additional 4,600 acre-feet of entitlement 
water raising the total annual amount to 102,600 acre-feet. Pat was the 
innovator and force behind using ``Super Wells'' to lower high 
groundwater conditions in South San Bernardino to help prevent 
liquefaction, a new term at that time, during earthquakes. The super 
wells and accompanying pipeline, known as the Baseline Feeder, pumped 
the nuisance high groundwater to meet needs in Rialto. On the east end 
of the valley, additional facilities were added that enabled the 
transport of local storm water. These facilities, in combination with 
other local facilities, were used in a creative arrangement to meet 
supplemental water needs in the Yucaipa area without construction of a 
pipeline to Yucaipa. The agreement, known as the ``Exchange Plan'', 
enabled Mill Creek water to be delivered to Yucaipa in exchange for 
State Water Project (SWP) water.
  Pat has always looked out for the Valley in which he grew up. In the 
early 1970's the United States Army Corps of Engineers unveiled an 
ambitious flood control plan on the Santa Ana River that included the 
proposed Mentone Dam that would capture both the Santa Ana River and 
Mill Creek. While the Mentone Dam made sense as a flood control 
facility, it did not make sense to people that lived in the valley. The 
dam would have created an eyesore on the east end of the valley and 
covered over most of the community of East Highland! Valley District 
took the lead in encouraging alternate proposals and in 1986, the Army 
Corps agreed to an alterative that moved the dam into the foothills 
where it stands today. Under Pat's leadership, the Seven Oaks Dam is 
being used not only for flood control but also for water supply. Valley 
District, on behalf of water customers throughout the valley, partnered 
with the Western Municipal Water District and secured Water Right 
Permits to capture the newly detained water made available by the 
construction of the Dam. The capture of this water, which would have 
historically flowed into the Pacific Ocean, will save the people of the 
valley hundreds of millions of dollars.
  Pat has always understood the value of the investment in the State 
Water Project. When that value was threatened by the Department of 
Water Resources and other State Water Contractors, Pat directed 
litigation to protect the District's contract right to sell any unused 
imported water at a fair price. Valley District prevailed and the 
resulting revenue has been used over the years to help fund regional 
facilities, reducing local costs.
  Pat has always believed in good planning backed by solid science. 
Valley District has been a leader in studying the valley's resources to 
determine the opportunities and constraints. Through a relationship 
with the United States Geological Survey that has lasted decades, a 
groundwater flow model was produced which has proven invaluable to 
analyze water management scenarios and new projects. This model 
continues to be enhanced and is used every year to develop a management 
plan for the valley.
  This year, Pat announced that he would be retiring from the Valley 
District Board. His vision and leadership will be dearly missed by both 
the Board and the Staff. I commend Pat for his years of leadership and 
service and wish him all the best.

                          ____________________