Commentary: Restoring confidence in water policy
San Diego Union Tribune - 7/1/03
By Ken Calvert

Calvert is chairman of the chairman of the House subcommittee on water and power. He represents California's 43rd District covering western Riverside County including Murrieta and portions of Temecula.

Many years ago, as a student at San Diego State University, I served as a congressional intern for my local congressman. Part of my internship entailed researching issues surrounding the Colorado River. I never thought that those same issues would still exist, and I would be involved in the debate as a member of Congress.

For years California has been overusing its share of the Colorado River, and last December the Department of the Interior cut us off; a direct consequence of not solidifying a deal to transfer water from agriculture uses to urban water users. The main reason why the transfer deal (known as the Quantification Settlement Agreement, or QSA), did not go through was Imperial Valley's fear of litigation regarding environmental impacts to the Salton Sea.

The excess agriculture water that would have been transferred to coastal communities typically runs into the Salton Sea, which is an essential habitat for millions of birds and fish populations. Transferring run-off water from farms would eventually dry up the sea, resulting in a dust bowl effect and eliminating a fly-way for migratory birds.

Consequently, the Salton Sea has been labeled the rotten apple in an otherwise healthy transfer deal. Unfortunately, the problem is worsening and the more we continue to delay it, the less water California will receive.

Currently, there is a project being evaluated by the Salton Sea Authority that may potentially solve the problems of the sea and get the QSA back on track. The plan involves creating a smaller, but higher quality sea in the north by constructing an 8.5-mile dam-like structure (called a dike) dividing the sea. The agriculture run-off into the southern portion would be desalted and allow the transfer to hold up to 500,000 acre-feet. The adoption of such a project could restart negotiations concerning the QSA; a win-win situation for California.

The QSA is an integral part of an overall water management plan for California. That overall plan must include implementing water conservation measures; constructing water recycling facilities; utilizing technologies to desalt brackish and ocean water; constructing additional storage and conveyance facilities; and conjunctively managing surface and ground waters. The concurrent implementation of these tools will undoubtedly allow California to stretch existing supplies in the face of limited water resources and drought seasons.

In addition, I plan to introduce legislation that would reauthorize the California Federal Bay-Delta Program, or CALFED, a multibillion-dollar initiative involving 19 federal and state agencies intended to improve water supply for urban, rural and environmental uses. The legislation also would increase above ground storage; improve conveyance; streamline environmental regulations; create new water yield (i.e., desalination and water recycling); provide for water transfers and banking, and improve below ground storage.

The time to resolve the conflicts over water in California has come, and Congress is ready to move forward with California's water management plan. As chairman of the subcommittee on water and power in the U.S. House of Representatives, I look forward to hearing the concerns of the various San Diego water users at 11 a.m. today at a hearing at the El Cajon City Council Chambers.

The issues surrounding water policy in California are complex and require cooperation, understanding and compromise. Where there is a limited supply of any precious resource there is bound to be conflict. However, in the end, we are all looking for increased water supply and reliability; a comprehensive outcome that we all must work to achieve together.

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