California remains a holdout on a drought emergency plan for the Colorado River that is due next Tuesday by all seven river states. Holding up the plan has been a fight between two powerful water agencies in Southern California.
div > div.group > p:first-child"> The drought contingency plan is designed to produce voluntary cuts that would keep the river and Lake Mead from reaching critically low levels. If the plan doesn't get finalized, the federal government could step in and force mandatory cutbacks instead of voluntary ones for a river that serves 40 million people and some 5 million acres of farmland.
The need for water led Metropolitan last year to approve funding to help pay some of the costs for a delta water-delivery tunnel project in Northern California that would bring more water to Southern California. But Gov. Gavin Newsom last month said he would scale back the $10 billion plan championed by his predecessor.
"Our job here is to protect the people and the environment of the Imperial Valley," said Robert Schettler, a spokesman for the Imperial district. He said the Salton Sea has become a health and environmental concern due to dust exposed by the receding lake. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation asked governors or their representatives of the river states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming to turn in the emergency drought plan for the Colorado River no later than March 19. Approvals from a handful of water agencies in California and Congress are what's left for the plan to become fully implemented.
California is only required to make contributions if Lake Mead's elevation drops to 1,045 feet above sea level, or 44 feet below its current level of 1,089 feet.
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