Darren Simon
San Diego County Water Authority
QSA Outreach Coordinator

Question:

There is a lot of talk about something called drought contingency planning as a way to help maintain Lake Mead levels, but I hear it would require California to conserve more water than it already does under the QSA. Can you share what you know about this new proposal?

Answer:

First off, there are a couple of points that need to be made clear. The Water Authority has not been a participant in the drought contingency planning (DCP) negotiations. The participating agencies are the Section 5 Contractors on the river, including Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Imperial Irrigation District, Coachella Valley Water District, Palo Verde Water District, and representatives from Arizona and Nevada. California’s Colorado River Board and the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) are also participating. The second point is that no agreement has been reached and no agreement

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Darren Simon
QSA Outreach Coordinator
San Diego County Water Authority

Question:

When did the San Diego County Water Authority open an office in the Imperial Valley, and what is the purpose for having an office and a staff member in the Imperial Valley? Is it because you are looking for further water transfers from the Imperial Valley?

Answer:

Great question. The Water Authority opened an office in the Imperial Valley in 2005, a couple of years after the signing of the Quantification Settlement Agreement.  It was a critical time in the implementation of the QSA. A number of issues were taking place then. For one, the Water Authority, the State and the Imperial Irrigation District were hard at work on developing the All-American Canal Lining Project, a critical component of the QSA. Additionally, the QSA was facing legal challenges. Then, the Water Authority and IID were working through

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