Water Supplies in Southern California

We are reassured by the conclusion of William Fulton’s Opinion piece (“Shifting Politics of Water,” May 19) that there will always be a role for Metropolitan Water District in Southern California.

For example, our Eastside Reservoir Project, which will double the Southland’s surface water storage capacity and is key to year-round and emergency water management, is the type of regional project at which this agency excels.

Contrary to the writer’s contention, the reservoir project has the support of each of our 27 member public agencies.

JOHN V. FOLEY

Board Chairman

MWD, Los Angeles

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* The evolving challenge to serve water users in Southern California is indeed creating a shifting climate for water resource agencies such as the Imperial Irrigation District (IID), as Fulton says. However, he makes a serious factual error and a second major error in assumption.

Fulton discusses the Bass brothers as if they were a water district with the power to buy and sell water at will. In fact, neither the Bass brothers nor any other landowner has the ability or right to sell water. The Imperial Irrigation District holds all water rights in trust and has sole authority to arrange for water transfers. While the Bass brothers and any other landowners are free to present their points of view to the Metropolitan Water District or any other agency, they have no power to make deals.

It is equally important, however, to explode the myth that, somehow, landowners in Imperial Valley are going to pocket massive profits through the transfer of conserved water. In reality, transfer revenues will be used in special IID programs that benefit the region and will also benefit farmers who choose to participate. The general approach will be projects that:

* Create conservation or system improvements that serve the region, such as lateral interceptors, small reservoirs and canal lining;

* Produce on-farm operational improvements;

* Mitigate environmental impacts of water conservation projects.

The on-farm programs will be made available to farmers through the district and be administered by IID. Thus, the likely outcome of new revenue from water transfers will be incremental improvements in farm operations that benefit those farmers that agree to conserve. In addition, the region will benefit from systemwide enhancements, a stronger agricultural industry and local economy.

The Bass brothers, like all other landowners in Imperial Valley, will be welcome to participate.

PATRICIA BROCK WARREN

External Affairs

Imperial Irrigation District