On Thursday, October 16, Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton officially signed the Colorado
River Water Delivery Agreement, a landmark pact that begins a new era of cooperation on the river
by fulfilling a promise California made more than 70 years ago.
The Agreement, signed by
Secretary Norton and officials of four California water agencies, provides assurances of long-term
water supplies and clears the way for market-based transfers and other essential tools to meet the
growing water needs of the region.
Under Secretary Norton's leadership, California has agreed to take specific, incremental steps that will reduce its over-reliance on Colorado River water in the next 14 years, allowing the state to live within its authorized annual share of 4.4 million acre-feet. The agreement allows the six other Colorado River Basin States to protect their authorized shares to meet future needs. |
Secretary Gale Norton, flanked by Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Bennett Raley (right), former California Governor Gray Davis (left) and California water agency officials, signs landmark Colorado River water agreement at Hoover Dam . |