Dec. 6, 1999
Utah officials are trying to head off a proposal from California that could cause a dramatic lowering of the water level in Lake Powell and Lake Mead during dry years.
Environment Specialist John Hollenhorst has the story.
California cares about these two lakes because they are reservoirs on the Colorado River, which supplies water to much of the Southwest. The cliche is to call water the "lifeblood."
If so, California is a bit overdrawn at the blood bank.
The Colorado River is legally divided among seven states, each entitled to a certain share of the water. But for years, California has been taking more than it's share. Now the other states forsee a need for the water to fuel growth, so they want California to back off.
Larry Anderson/Utah Dir. of Water Resources: "IT'S KIND OF LIKE A DRUG ADDICT. THEY'RE HOOKED ON WATER AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CUT THEM OFF THE WATER AND GET THEM BACK TO WHAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO."
The states have agreed in general terms to a 15-year timetable, gradually weaning California away from the excess water without going Cold Turkey.
LARRY ANDERSON/UTAH DIR. OF WATER RESOURCES: "GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME DOWN WITHOUT HAVING TO BE CUT OFF AT ONCE. "
California has promised to conserve. But they recently proposed an interim formula which is causing sparks to fly in the upriver states.
In dry years, California would be guaranteed so much water that Lake Mead would drop 120 feet or more, leaving some marinas 2 miles from the lake. Lake Powell could drop further.
In a serious drought, Lake Powell might drop 100 to 150 feet anyway. But the California proposal would take it down another 30 to 40 feet.
LARRY ANDERSON/UTAH DIR. OF WATER RESOURCES: "SO OUR WATER USERS COULD BE IN A DROUGHT, BUT YET WE COULD BE GIVING CALIFORNIA EXTRA WATER. I THINK THAT'S HARD FOR US TO SELL TO OUR WATER USERS THAT THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. IF WE'RE IN A DROUGHT EVERYBODY SHULD BE EXPERIENCING A DROUGHT."
One constituency would be delighted: some environmentalists hope that someday Lake Powell will be drained entirely.
Richard Ingebretsen/Glen Canyon Institute: "LOWERING THE LEVEL OF LAKE POWELL IS A GOOD THING FOR THE RIVER. ANYTHING THAT LOWERS THE LEVEL OF THE RIVER, THE RESERVOIR, ANYTHING THAT GOES TO A MORE NATURAL FLOW OF THE RIVER IS GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. "
But others love Lake Powell as a vast recreational outlet for millions of people. So it's obviously a big issue for a lot of people. Further meetings are planned later this month. It's a tough negotiation and no one expects a quick solution.
