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Show 3. Unified Water Control The Problem Actions necessary to assure unified operation of water control facilities for all development pur- poses. The Situation The several major purposes to be served by development of the Columbia, the wide fluctuations in seasonal flow, the division of interest in opera- tion among several Federal agencies, several States, and another country, and the large size of the Co- lumbia Basin make unified operation of facilities an essential objective in development. Although administrative means are still somewhat cumber- some, informal arrangements already have effected some coordination of operation. The Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Bonneville Power Administration operated existing facilities in a unified manner so as to reduce crests during high-water periods during the spring of 1949 and 1950. This action in 1950 was estimated by the Corps of Engineers to have reduced the peak flow of the river by 60,000 cubic feet per second at Vancouver, Wash., without adverse effects on irri- gation or electric power production. Operations also have been coordinated in a similar manner for power generation through the formation of the Northwest Power Pool, which comprises 10 major private, municipal, and Fed- eral systems as well as many smaller utilities and industrial plants in the area. Maximum inter- change of power among systems has been promoted by this informal arrangement, and opportunity given for exploiting diversity. The pool has in- creased firm capacity, provided more reliable service of a higher quality, and effected both operating and investment economies. These and other informal arrangements have been realized more rapidly than otherwise might have been the case because of the existence of the Columbia Basin Inter-Agency Committee. The committee has provided a means of exchanging ideas, and arriving at mutual understanding of many planning and operational problems. A Technical Subcommittee for Operating Plan functions under the Inter-Agency Committee. The objective of this subcommittee is planned adjustment of operation, as new facilities are added or other conditions change, so as to afford the most efficient over-all water use at all times. The com- mittee also has established a Task Force on Organi- zation and Policy. This group has recommended the formation of a Water Control Group as a necessary part of efficient water control. Conclusions Centralized direction of water control on the Columbia, through the suggested Water Control Group or another instrument with clear, direct line of authority, is essential to efficient manage- ment of the river. The establishment of such an instrument, with authority to act, should therefore be undertaken as soon as practicable. New legisla- tion toward this end, if necessary, should be sought. 67 |