Statement by Senator Barry Goldwater for the House Interior & Insular Affairs Committee hearings in Yuma, Arizona, September 7th, and Needles, California, September 8th, 1983. Mr. Chairman, I sincerely appreciate your holding these hearings today. in Yuma and tomorrow in Needles, California in order to receive testimony about flooding along the Colorado River. The Bureau of Reclamation has estimated preliminary total damages caused by the high water releases to be over $80 million. Moreover, no one knows for certain how much destruction to crops, sewage systems, roads and water systems will continue to occur because of rising ground water, particularly in the Yuma area. I am personally very sympathetic and sorry for the people who have lost their homes, and who have seen all their hard work damaged or destroyed by the flood waters. In addition, I am very concerned for those people who have lost their businesses or who have seen their incomes from these enterprises reduced to almost nothing. It goes without saying that the personal tragedies and suffering caused by this disaster will not be easily forgotten nor will the recovery and restoration of homes and businesses be without a great amount of sweat and frustration. My heart goes out to our people particularly those in the Topock Lake Rancheros, along the Parker Strip, and in the Yuma Area. This is not to forget our California neighbors and our friends in Mexico who have also suffered from this flood. In my long lifetime in Arizona, I have seen the Colorado River flood on more than a few occasions. The Colorado River has flooded for millions of years, and will continue to do so. In the natural scheme of things, there will continue to be occasional floods caused by abnormally high rain and snow falls. The Goldwater family had a store washed out by flooding along the Colorado River. Our family learned the hard way about building in the flood plain of this river. Needless to say, construction in the flood plain is hazardous and, periodically, the river is going to flood in spite of all the best efforts of man to tame the river by dams and controlled water releases. From the information and reports that I have seen, I find no fault with the Bureau of Reclamation. The Bureau has a long history in the State of Arizona, and is one of the major components in the development of our state. The Bureau has certain mandated responsibilities in the development and supply of water. Meeting water needs must also take into account the safety and protection of life and property. The unique beauty and delicate ecology of the Grand Canyon must also be protected from flood damage. I believe that with better weather projections, snow depth analysis, and increased cooperations and communication among the various concerned Federal agencies, we can do a better job of preventing some of the damage caused by these floods. This is waht I hope will be developed as a result of these hearings. 26-099 0-83--15 STATEMENT OF ROBERT N. BROADBENT COMMISSIONER, BUREAU OF RECLAMATION DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BEFORE THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS, SEPTEMBER 7, 1983, YUMA, ARIZONA. Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, I appreciate the opportunity today to discuss the operation of the Colorado River. My testimony today is for the Department of the Interior. Representatives of the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Geological Survey are also here today to answer any specific questions you may have. The Colorado River presently serves a population of nearly 12 million people in the coastal plain of Southern California, as well as the Denver, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas areas, and soon the Phoenix and Tucson areas. The water supplies of the Colorado River, however are inadequate to meet all of the legal demands planned to be placed upon it to serve one of the most arid yet fast-growing regions in the United States (see Figure 1). The planned full-use and development of the Colorado River's flow by the seven basin States and Mexico have caused the River to become one of the most litigated, regulated, and extensively analyzed rivers in the world. As a result, the operation of the Colorado River reservoir system is managed through a complex federal-state institutional system governed by "The Law of the River." The undepleted (or virgin) flow of the river varies widely during the year, from year to year, and over periods of several years (see Figure 2). The runoff this water year will be about 24.7 million acre-feet (MAF) and is the highest on record. In comparison, 1976 and 1977 were the lowest two consecutive years of record. The 1977 water year, the lowest on record, was only 5.0 MAF. The long-term average virgin flow of the river is approximately 15 million acre-feet per year. In order to minimize the effects of extreme fluctuations in the Colorado flow, Congress authorized an immense network of storage reservoirs. Anchored by Lake Mead in the Lower Basin and Lake Powell in the Upper Basin, the nine major storage reservoirs in the Colorado River Basin have a maximum storage capacity of 61.5 MAF. After deducting the required flood control space, these reservoirs make available approximately 56.1 MAF of usable storage on January 1 of each year. The minimum flood control storage space (5.35 MAF) in comparison is approximately the same amount of annual virgin water supply as in a drought year such as 1977. The Bureau of Reclamation operates the Colorado River reservoir system in accordance with the Coordinated Long-Range Operating Criteria developed in consultation with the basin States. These criteria emphasize water conservation in order to meet the States annual water allocations as provided for in the Colorado River Compact and the other legal obligations. The Operating Criteria provides flexible policies regarding the operation of the reservoir system. The annual operating plans provide "detailed rules and quantities" for all purposes for the reservoirs. Since the initial apportionments of Colorado River water were based on data |