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Degraded Lower Colorado River needs federal help to recover

Posted by: Maven on June 4, 2009 at 6:47 am

From the Environment News Service:

Protection of Lower Colorado River water quality needs comprehensive legislation and adequate funding for a major effort like programs underway in the Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes, local officials told a hearing held by the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power in Tucson on May 27.

The Colorado River is the major water resource in the arid southwestern United States. It is the source of drinking water for 25 million people throughout southern California, southern Nevada, Arizona, and Mexico. The river provides irrigation water for almost two million acres, fish and wildlife habitat and water-based recreation for millions of people.

Calling for a comprehensive approach to surface water protection, Lake Havasu City Mayor Mark Nexsen testified on behalf of the 56,000 Havasu residents and the 42,000 people living in Bullhead City. He also spoke as chairman of the regional Colorado River Regional Sewer Coalition, which serves area tribes, cities and towns, including Tucson.

Nexsen called for comprehensive legislation and adequate funding to address all the threats to the Colorado River with a coordinated council of relevant agencies, “similar to clean up efforts in the Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes Region.”

“Tens of millions of dollars of federal, state, regional and local government money are being spent to protect endangered species through the Lower Colorado Multi-Species Conservation Program, yet virtually no federal money has been expended to help mitigate water quality issues,” Nexsen said.

Read more from the Environment News Service by clicking here.

June 4, 2009 · Filed Under Colorado River & the Southwest

Comments

One Response to “Degraded Lower Colorado River needs federal help to recover”

  1. WaterSource on June 4th, 2009 11:44 am

    No interest in a new fresh water Source that can provide a million acre feet EACH YEAR … ?

    WaterSource waterrdw@yahoo.com

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