The estimated cost of the Coachella Canal lining is $21,450,000. It is not included in this authorization because it is separately authorized to the Department of the Interior, and that Department will seek this amount in its annual appropriation. Section 5 provides a title for this bill. Mr. JOHNSON. Now, the four other reports to be placed in the file are: one, the report of the President's Special Representative; two, the report from the Department of the Interior entitled, "Colorado River International Salinity Control Project September, 1973," three, the executive summary of the immediately foregoing Interior Department report; and four, an environmental impact statement. At this time I would recognize the ranking minority member of this committee, Mr. Manuel Lujan, the Congressman from the great State of New Mexico. Mr. LUJAN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am not going to take up very much time with an opening statement. We all realize how important the legislation is, both toward a desalinization program and for our relationships with Mexico, but I do want to take the time to join you, Mr. Chairman, in welcoming Mr. Aspinall. We are pleased that you are here with us. Mr. JOHNSON. Are there any other comments from any of the members at this time? Mr. STEIGER. Mr. Chairman, I wanted to just reserve time for a statement also, and since you have given me the chance, I would like to enthusiastically echo the words of you and my colleague from New Mexico in welcoming the gentleman from Colorado. It seems very natural to have him in that position, and very comforting I might add. Mr. DELLEN BACK. Mr. Chairman. Mr. JOHNSON. The gentleman from Oregon, Mr. Dellenback. Mr. DELLENBACK. Mr. Chairman, I really was not going to say anything, but in view of the comments which have been made, and as I look around at my colleagues who are here representing Arizona and representing New Mexico and representing Colorado, and the great Northwest and the other areas, I want it clearly understood that I represent none of the States involved. I am from the State of Oregon. I am expressing the fact that we are very much interested in what happens to water, and I want to disabuse anybody who thinks that we have such an excess that Oregon can supply the needs of any other part of the United States. We are actually not quite in that position, but I am making primarily the point that this is really not just a regional problem. It is a problem of deep concern, not only to the West, but to the whole United States, and I appreciate being recognized. Mr. JOHNSON. I thank you for your comments. You know, if we had a meeting like this when the treaty was reached with Canada for that last 15 million acre-feet of water that came down the Columbia River, it might have helped relieve some of our problems in the Colorado River and in the State of California and elsewhere. But we were not represented in that treaty with Canada when they reached their agreement. So the water is still flowing out the mouth of the Columbia River, and we would have had to trap it to use it now. Mr. DELLENBACK. Mr. Chairman, if you would yield. Just so long as it is clearly understood that it is after we have used it that it is being trapped and sent anywhere. If you need water to grow crops in California, send us your grocery list, we'll be glad to supply them. Mr. JOHNSON. Does the gentleman from New Mexico have any comment? Mr. RUNNELS. No. Mr. JOHNSON. At this time I would like to submit a statement for the record, and a statement from our colleague, Hon. Frank E. Evans, of Colorado. Hearing no objection the statements will be placed in the record at this point. [The statements follow:] STATEMENT OF HON. HAROLD T. (Bizz) JOHNSON, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA This statement is in endorsement of H.R. 12165 which I had the pleasure to co-sponsor with eleven of my Colleagues on the Interior and Insular Affairs Committee who serve in Congress from the seven States of the Colorado River Basin. This endorsement is made in full recognition of H.R. 12834 which resulted from an Executive Communication from the Departments of State and Interior— and which was introduced by Mr. Haley, the distinguished Chairman of the Full Committee, by request. Both of these measures would authorize the programs required for implementation of Minute No. 242 to the Mexican Water Treaty of 1944. This Minute was executed in August 1973 and culminated a full year of study and negotiations by former Attorney General Herbert Brownell who served as the President's Special Representative for that purpose. The programs proposed by Mr. Brownell are those required to make the drainage effluent from the Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation District acceptable from the standpoint of quality to the Mexican interests. This will be accomplished by limiting the outflow of drainage water from the district by means that I will discuss later in this statement. The limited outflow will be treated by a membrane desalting process with the product water being returned to the Colorado River-and the reject brine being disposed of in the Gulf of California. The net effect of this procedure will be to insure that the overall quality of water available to Mexico will be within the limits negotiated by Mr. Brownell-that is-within 115 parts per million of that available to American users diverting from Imperial Dam. The programs required to limit drainage outflow from the Wellton-Mohawk District consist of reducing irrigated acreage in the district and refinements to Painted Rock Dam on the Gila River to reduce intrusion of flood waters into the Wellton-Mohawk drainage system and aquifers. The plans also contemplate lining or reconstruction of Coachella Canal in California to reduce conveyance losses in that facility. The waters saved by this means can then be used, at latest, for an interim period to replace the amount of water lost to the United States by virtue of the reject brine steam from the desalting plant being exempted from the Treaty delivery of 1,500,000 acre-feet annually. In addition to the programs required to settle the Mexican issue. H.R.12165 would authorize a companion program of salinity management facilities in the river basin having as their objective the improvement of water quality on behalf of American users. The bill provides for the authorization of construction of four programs: (1) Paradox Valley, Coloardo (2) Crystal Geyser Project, Utah (3) Grand Valley Project, Colorado and (4) Las Vegas Wash Project, Nevada, These four projects would eliminate 400,000 tons of salt annually from the river and would accomplish the initial goal of the Environmental Protection Administration regarding the Colorado River. Their estimated cost would be about 125 million dollars-75 percent of which would be borne by the Federal Government. The remainder would be repaid regionally, with the costs to be allocated in a manner to be determined by the Secretary of the Interior. I am not opposed to acceptance as a public obligation the costs of the programs for implementing the Mexican Treaty, even though many experts feel that the Treaty provides no legal obligation to underwrite the quality of the water delivered pursuant to its terms. I believe that our interest in good relations with a neighbor Nation far transcends the cost of the programs. I am well aware, through my service on interparliamentary delegations, of the seriousness with which our Mexican counterparts view the salinity question and just how crucial this issue is in Mexican-American relations. In like manner, I have no trouble with Mr. Brownell's proposed solution. I believe it is vastly to be preferred that we not undertake to resolve quality of water by wasting a quantity of it. Dilution by releases of water from storage, as some observers may advocate, was renounced by Mr. Brownell and I applaud his perceptiveness in so doing. Likewise, I do not view abandonment of the Wellton-Mohawk development as a viable solution. We did not build a strong economy by abandoning wealthproducing programs based on the use of our renewable resources. Thus, while I support the goals of the Administration program for dealing with the Mexican problem, I cannot support them unless something is done on behalf of our own water users. This is my principal reason for selecting H.R. 12165. My second reason for preferring my bill to the Administration bill is found in the question of jurisdiction. I believe that these essential water resources programs must be kept within the control of the Secretary of the Interior and under the overview of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. To further fragment administrative and legislative responsibility on the Colorado River, as would be the case with H.R. 12834, would serve no useful purpose. Lastly, I fell that the Administration bill is deficient in not coming to grips with the boundary pumping problem. H.R._12165 provides the means by which the vital interests of the Colorado River Basin States can be protected from the adverse effects of excessive groundwater pumping by Mexican interests along the Arizona-Sonora border. The Administration bill is silent on this vital point, apparently contemplating that the problem can be resolved by further negotiation. I believe it is clear that when the salinity problem is solved to the satisfaction of the Mexican government that the United States has no longer a bargaining position from which to negotiate a satisfactory end to this problem. Hence, there is every logical justification for proceeding with the protective measures contemplated by H.R. 12165. STATEMENT OF HON. FRANK E. EVANS, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF COLORADO Mr. Chairman: I appreciate the opportunity to introduce my statement for the record in support of H. R. 12165, a bill similar to one which I co-sponsored with you and other Representatives from the Colorado River Basin States. It is my understanding the Basin States have agreed upon the merits of this measure as a means of solving problems related to salinity in the Colorado River. Mr. Chairman, we in Colorado, are deeply concerned over the future. History in the West indicates strongly that the very lifeblood of our economy, even our existence depends upon our opportunity to make use of the waters which originate in or flow through our states. With some frequency, as witness both the Rio Grande and Colorado Rivers, our Federal Government completes international treaties without any seeming regard to the consequences for the comparitively few states which must supply the water. Just recently our government completed minutes to implement the Water Treaty of 1944 with the United Mexican States. Salinity which amounts to no more than 980 parts per million was guaranteed at the border delivery point. There is considerable natural salinity on the Colorado River and much of this originates on the public lands. Additionally, almost all use by man increases salinity through imposition or by draining off more pure water which might dilute salinity. Even more recently EPA, possibly to begin making certain salinity is held down so that the treaty obligation may be met, has issued regulations which would in effect hold salinity to 865 parts per million at the Colorado line. The real effect of this regulation, if carried out under current conditions, will be to stop all further development of the river and its tributaries in Colorado and even make inoperable such projects as the Fryingpan-Arkansas. The financial burden to carry out these projects would be impossible for project sponsors to assume if they must each build a salinity control facility. 31-174-74—6 It is interesting to note, in light of the 980 parts per million guarantee to Mexico, that farmers up and down the Arkansas Valley in Colorado, have been prospering for years on irrigation water containing an average of 3,000 parts per million and as much as 4,000 in some places. All of this is by way of emphasizing the imperative need for enactment of the bill your committee has under consideration. Certainly all states cannot supply the water which flows down the Colorado River. This is a burden to be carried in perpetuity by the Basin States, but under this bill the obligation of all states to implement this treaty with Mexico would be recognized through provision for equitable and reasonable funding of salinity solutions. I am aware that in my district, engineering and plans are being reworked on projects in an effort to reduce the salinity problem. Project sponsors recognize their responsibilities on this matter and are taking steps to willingly meet these to the extent economically feasible. I believe the Federal Government, through H.R. 12165, should also recognize its responsibilities and take steps willingly to meet these. The consequences to many water districts, towns, cities and entire regions of the basin states will be disastrous if we fail. Mr. JOHNSON. At this time I am going to ask leave for all of the U.S. Senators from the basin States to submit their statements. Senator Tunney is not here this morning. He has made a request to the committee that he may submit a statement for the record. Without objection these statements will be placed in the record. [The joint statement of 12 Senators contained in a letter signed by all of them dated March 25, 1974, and addressed to Chairman Harold T. Johnson, plus a letter from Senator Paul J. Fannin, and a statement of Senator John V. Tunney follow:] Hon. HAROLD T. JOHNSON, UNITED STATES SENATE, Washington, D.C. March 25, 1974. Chairman, Subcommittee on Water and Power Resources, House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: We are pleased to submit a joint statement to you in support of a program to control the salinity levels in the Colorado River. We co-authored legislation, S. 1807, in the first session of the 93rd Congress which would authorize a program, including physical works and accelerated studies, to reduce the salts entering or concentrating in the river. In the intervening months, the State Department, acting through the International Boundary and Water Commission, has negotiated an agreement with the Government of Mexico. This agreement is to assure, among other things, that the Colorado River water which enters Mexico will have "an annual average salinity of no more than 115 ppm ± 30 ppm over the annual average salinity of Colorado River water which arrives at Imperial Dam." The effort by the State Department to maintain friendly relations with our Mexican neighbors is laudable. While the agreement is designed to resolve a long-standing dispute between the two nations, it does nothing whatsoever to clean up the waters used in the United States or to reduce the salts entering the river above Imperial Dam. It is, in this latter respect, an incomplete agreement. The problem of salinity must be handled on a basin-wide basis. It has been stated by Special Ambassador Brownell, "that unless the United States does control this threatened and almost certain increase of salinity above Imperial Dam, the water we deliver to Mexico may become unacceptable, and we shall, in the future, have a new salinity problem with that country." It was also recognized by Foreign Minister Rabasa of Mexico that salinity control works are needed above Imperial Dam in order to achieve the intent of Minute 242 (the Brownell agreement) as "a permanent and definitive solution". We would respectfully submit that we should take the long view. We should endeavor to solve the immediate problem with Mexico. We should at the same time undertake a comprehensive program of salinity control that will be of longrange benefit to water users in both countries. Therefore, we urge your favorable consideration of legislation that would authorize and establish a program of water quality improvement throughout the Colorado River Basin. With kind regards, JOSEPH M. MONTOYA, U.S. Senator; CLIFFORD P. HANSEN, U.S. U. S. SENATE, COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS, Hon. HAROLD T. JOHNSON, Chairman, Subcommittee on Water and Power Resources, House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, Washington, D.C. DEAR BIZZ: As a co-author of legislation introduced in the first session of the 93rd Congress to authorize a program, including physical works and accelerated studies, to reduce the salts entering or concentrating in the Colorado River, I am pleased to submit a joint statement to you in support of a program to control the salinity levels in the River. In the months intervening introduction of S. 1807 and the present, the State Department, acting through the International Boundary and Water Commission, has negotiated an agreement with the Government of Mexico. This agreement is to assure, among other things, that the Colorado River water which enters Mexico will have "an annual average salinity of no more than 115 ppm ±30 ppm over the annual average salinity of Colorado River water which arrives at Imperial Dam." While the effort by the State Department to maintain friendly relations with our Mexican neighbors and resolve a long-standing dispute is laudable, the agreement does nothing whatsoever to clean up the waters used in the United States or to reduce the salts entering the river above Imperial Dam. It is, in this latter respect, an incomplete agreement. The problem of salinity must be handled on a basin-wide basis. It has been stated by Special Ambassador Brownell, "that unless the United States does control this threatened and almost certain increase of salinity above Imperial Dam, the water we deliver to Mexico may become unacceptable, and we shall, in the future, have a new salinity problem with that country." It was also recognized by Foreign Minister Rabasa of Mexico that salinity control works are needed above Imperial Dam in order to achieve the intent of Minute 242 (the Brownell agreement) as "a permanent and definitive solution.” I would respectfully submit that we should take the long view. We should endeavor to solve the immediate problem with Mexico, at the same time undertaking a comprehensive program of salinity control that will be of long-range benefit to waters users in both countries. Therefore, I urge your favorable consideration of legislation that would authorize and establish a program of water quality improvement through the Colorado River Basin. With kindest personal regards. PAUL FANNIN, U.S. Senator. STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN V. TUNNEY, A U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA I appreciate the opportunity to appear before your committee to urge your favorable consideration of the Colorado River salinity control program. Together with many of you and other of our colleagues from the seven Colorado River Basin States of Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming, I have sponsored legislation for the past year and one-half which would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to implement a program for the control of the salinity in the waters of the Colorado River system. |