Imperial Board Requests Bar on Water Cutbacks
A water board in Imperial County -- California’s biggest user of Colorado River water -- requested a preliminary injunction Monday to keep U.S. Interior Secretary Gale Norton from cutting the region’s share of water.
The request was made as representatives for Imperial and other water boards met in Sacramento to try to salvage a crucial Colorado River water deal. The state’s failure to sign that deal by Dec. 31 prompted Norton to cut Imperial County’s share of river water by 11% this year and to send much of it to Los Angeles.
Imperial’s request, filed in U.S. District Court, asks a federal judge to reinstate the region’s full share of Colorado River water under rights that date back to the 19th century.
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