Report on Conference on Western Water Issues, 17-18 May 1979
Creators: name: Isaacson, Morton S.
name: Fall, Theresa C.
Publisher: name: California Institute of Technology
Year: 1979

description: Over the last few years several potential conflicts have emerged over the manner in which water is put to beneficial use in the western United States. These potential problems have been further heightened by the western drought of 1976-77 and by the recent upsurge of interest in developing western coal and oil-shale resources. The conference on Western Water Issues, held at the California Institute of Technology, 17-18 May 1979, provided a forum for representatives of industry, agriculture, government, environmental groups, research establishments and universities to exchange ideas on the subject. 

Most of the discussions centered on California and the Colorado River Basin. Specific items discussed included climatic fluctuations and predictability of the basic water supply; existing water law and needed changes; economics of water and the lack of real water markets; pending California state legislation (on the Peripheral Canal in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta area, and on limits to pumping overdrafted ground water basins); water availability for energy resources development; and competing needs by municipalities, industry, and agriculture. As a summary of the conference, this report should be regarded as a source book to clarify the issues and direct the reader to relevant individuals and references.
description: © 1979 Environmental Quality Laboratory. California Institute of Technology.

Both the conference and this report were made possible by a grant from the Office of Environment of the United States Department of Energy and by gifts to EQL from the Bechtel Corporation and the General Services Foundation, St. Paul. Additional funding for the conference was provided by the Industrial Associates of Caltech. 

The enthusiastic participation of the speakers and session chairmen has resulted in a clear statement of the water problems and issues confronting the state. We will all benefit from their contributions. 

Members of the EQL staff deserve special recognition for their efforts toward making the conference a success. Dr. Morton Isaacson and Debra Polsky did an excellent job of organizing and coordinating the conference program and travel arrangements. Dr. Isaacson and Theresa Fall compiled the conference report (i.e., prepared the individual summaries which were then sent to the speakers for review) and expedited its production. The help of Partricia Rankin, Jeri Lucas and Suzanne Bond is also much appreciated. 

Thanks also go to Thomas Walters, Gail Hodgdon, Kermit Jacobson and Richard Schuster (whose untimely death is mourned by us all) of the Industrial Associates Office; James Black, Nancy Hopkins and Denise Ovrum of the Caltech Alumni Association; Jerry Willis, Thomas Lehman, Kitty Macdonnell, Don Delson and Charles Seagrave of the Public Events Office; and Dennis Meredith of the Caltech News Bureau. 

Finally, the assistance of the Director's Office of the California Department of Water Resources in transcribing and editing Governor Brown's address is gratefully acknowledged.