Formally-adopted positions of the Western States Water Council
Position #516 – The Dividing the Waters Program for Judges WHEREAS, the Dividing the Waters Program of the National Judicial College has served western judges overseeing complex water litigation since 1993, providing information and training resources on water law and...
Position #515 – State Primacy over Groundwater WHEREAS, groundwater is a critically important natural resource that is vital to the economy and environment of the arid West; and WHEREAS, the Desert Land Act of 1877 and the United States Supreme Court in California...
Position #514 - Universal Access to Reliable, Clean Drinking Water for Federally Recognized Indian Tribes WHEREAS, access to reliable, clean drinking water is an essential human need that is critical to the public health, well-being, educational attainment, and economic...
Position #513 - Federal Research on Climate Adaptation WHEREAS, climate variability has serious potential consequences for water supply availability, water resources planning and management, water rights administration, flood management, and water quality management;...
Position #512 - Integrating Water and Energy Planning and Policy WHEREAS, the West enjoys diverse and abundant energy resources, including renewable and non-renewable resources, but water is scarce in much of the region and may or may not be sufficient for all proposed...
Position #511 - Water Infrastructure Funding WHEREAS, maintaining and delivering sufficient water supplies of suitable quality is key to the West’s economic prosperity, environmental needs, and our quality of life, both now and in the future; and WHEREAS, appropriate...
Position #510 - Weather Station Networks WHEREAS, Western States experience great variability in precipitation, with serious impacts and consequences for water supply planning and management, drought and flood preparedness and response, water rights and water market...
Position #509 - Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations and Innovations WHEREAS, Western States experience great variability in precipitation, with serious impacts and consequences for the operation of water projects, particularly aging water infrastructure, as well as...
Position #508 - Probable Maximum Precipitation Standards WHEREAS, National Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) standards for extreme rainfall have long been used for the design and regulation of infrastructure including dams, roads and bridges, as well as thermal power...
Position #507 - Outlining Actions Federal Agencies Should Take to Expedite State General Stream Adjudications WHEREAS, the western states use general stream adjudications to determine and document relative water rights within basins, including rights to waters claimed...