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President 'Indicated interest/ Says Senator (Continued from Page 1) people in Washington, in and out of Congress, who are some­what averse to passing any legislation helpful to our State,” the Senator said. The proposed legislation, which Kuchel introduced in the Senate for himself and Senator George Murphy of California, was subsequently introduced in the House by Arizona’s three congressmen and 33 of California’s 38 congressmen, Kuchel added. He said that at a recent meeting with President Johnson the President “indicated an interest” in the legislation. “He instructed his staff to confer with the Budget Bureau and the Secretary of the Interior to discuss the economics of the legislation, relative to the Bureau’s report which must be made,” Kuchel said. “I venture to hope that the executive branch will sanction this undertaking. If that is done, I think the representatives in Congress of all the Basin States may give it their enthusiastic approval.” Senator Kuchel said he believes the agreement between Arizona and California that California be assured 4.4 million acre-feet of Colorado Biver water until more water is made available in the River, and that Arizona’s $1 billion Central Arizona Project will be built, “is a happy and auspicious de­velopment.” “W e can now work together for the good of both,” he said. “All the imprecations and bitterness of bygone years (between the two states) may now be swept away.” Just where the “wa.ter from some other source” is to come from to replenish the Colorado’s dwindling supply is not speci­fied in the proposed legislation, the Senator said. He noted, however, that the Columbia River annually discharges 160 million acre-feet of water to the sea, a small fraction of which would rejuvenate the Colorado if exported to it, and that one long-range proposal envisions some day tapping the Yukon in Alaska. “Some day, and not too far away,” he said, “the Pacific South­west is going to require importation of supplemental water from some northern source in order to unshackle our inevitable future growth. And it is going to take the best exertions of all the states involved, not just California, to enact the necessary Federal statutes.” Analyzing the mutual benefits of the proposed legislation, the Senator said: “W e may look forward with considerable assurance to an increasing rather than a decreasing water supply. The magnet which has drawn and is drawing millions of people to this cor­ner of the continent does not seem to be losing its power. “If we can solve the problem of adequate water, then the 40 million Californians who will call this State their home in the year 2000 will fulfill the hopes and dreams we proudly and fondly have for the future of California.” MEMO TO MEMBERS Published by the SOUTHLAND WATER COMMITTEE as a Public Service G eneral Chairman: PRESTON HOTCHKIS, Los Angeles Vice Chairm en: CHARLES R. BAIRD, Vista; FRED JENNINGS, Riverside; EDWIN W. PAULEY, Los Angeles Secretary-Treasurer: PAUL E. SCHWAB, Beverly Hills Executive Secretary: FRANK PURCELL SOUTHLAND WATER COMMITTEE 523 West Sixth Street Los Angeles, California 90014 629-2352 4 6 Fred Jennings of Riverside, Vice Chairman of the Southland Water Committee, makes presentation to Irwin E. Farrar, Hemet (right), at water information meeting at Gilman Hot Springs. Farrar represents the Eastern Municipal Water District on MWD's Board of Directors. The presentation was made in honor of Farrar's long service in the cause of water security in Southern California. Southland director M. L. McIntyre of Hemet was chairman of the day. WATER NEWS IN BRIEF ORANGE COUNTY Supervisors have endorsed a $9.5 mil­lion plan to divide the meandering Santa Ana River bed into two channels to control the river’s “erratic flow.” . . . CAL-LEGUAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT Board of Direc­tors honored its president, Richard Bard, by naming its nearly-completed reservoir, Lake Bard. VISTA IRRIGATION DISTRICT, observing the 40th anni­versary of its first water from Henshaw Dam, noted its price to users is 7^ per cubic ft. — the same as it was 40 years ago despite inflation. Said Hans H. Doe, Vista also receives water from M W D now and offers better service. . . . William A. Alex­ander of Porterville has been appointed to the STATE WATER RIGHTS BOARD.. Funeral services were held at Forest Lawn for HOWARD D. MILLS, a Los Angeles representative on the M W D Board of Directors, who died March 17. He had served on the Board since 1947. . . . CENTRAL BASIN MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT celebrated a “Decade of Progress” at a luncheon at Lakewood County Club. Milo Dellmann, president, pre­sided. . . . Death has claimed WILLIAM P. WHITSETT, foun­der of Van Nuys and one of the civic leaders instrumental in bringing Colorado River water to the Southland. He served 18 years on the MWD Board of Directors. Chairman Hotchkis Expresses Confidence (Continued from Page 1} virtually inexhaustible, is going to be woefully inadequate for demands on it when Arizona takes water from it for its Central Arizona Project. Until water is available “from some other source” to augment the Colorado’s supply, California would be guaranteed under pending legislation 4.4 million acre-feet from the Colorado. Summarizing the outlook on the proposed $850 million bond issue, General Chairman Hotchkis pointed out that Southern Californians have always been generous in support of vital water bond issues. “These new bonds will provide for water distribution facili­ties we must have in order to realize the continued growth of Southern California with the related benefits and opportunities that growth holds for all of us,” he said.