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Show and numerous municipal and local parks and camps. Many lakes and reservoirs provide intensively used recreation facilities. Private developments consist mainly of tourist overnight facilities, and numerous lodges and camps, chiefly in the Sierra Nevada. Local recreational facilities during the summer season and again dur- ing winter sports season are seriously deficient throughout the mountain area, and water resources development may contribute to meeting this ex- panding need. Major Basin Problems and Potentialities The major problems of the Central Valley are all closely related to water development. They are (1) providing economic opportunities for a rapidly growing population; (2) providing additional water for the many needs of the valley; and (3) problems of reconciling new water development programs with existing rights and claims of private interests, local governments, and national interests. Providing Economic Opportunities for a Rapidly Growing Population In many ways, and particularly from a social point of view, the basic problem of the Central Valley is provision for adequate economic oppor- tunity. During the last 20 years there has been a great influx of people into the Central Valley. Because of the high level of economic activity these people have been able thus far to maintain them- selves; but from a long-term point of view their economic situation is reported to be unstable. Many have been unable to establish themselves in per- manent positions. The desirability of fitting these people into stable communities as permanent mem- bers of a functioning economy is obvious. Unfortunately, most resources of the valley ca- pable of easy exploitation with small amounts of capital and limited organization were exploited long ago. Agriculture not only has been expanded to the limits of the locally available water supply, in many places, it has been expanded beyond those limits and irrigation has been mining the reserves of underground water. Nevertheless, there are opportunities to provide more permanent employ- ment. These lie in such directions as the expan- sion of agriculture, the associated food processing industries, and recreational servicing. Much of this expansion in turn is dependent on additional water supplies. The Problem of Providing Additional Water Agriculture cannot expand without additional control and distribution of water. Despite the present dearth of usable water, much of the water of the basin is lost in floods which sometimes are destructive. Irrigation as a single-purpose enter- prise has very nearly reached the limit of feasible economic expansion. Expansion is possible, how- ever, if water is conserved and used for multiple purposes simultaneously with land management practices. One highly favorable aspect of the sit- uation is the very high productivity of agriculture, which enables it to incur high costs for irrigation water and still remain solvent. Integrating New Water Development Programs with Existing Rights and Claims of Private Inter- ests, State and Local Governments, and National Interests The intensity of water development by private means and the fierce competition for water have resulted in a myriad of water rights, disputes over water rights, and in complicated arrangements for apportioning water. Moreover, local and State law on the subject is voluminous and complex. Consequently, new water developments must be integrated with the existing framework with ex- treme care or they will come into conflict with previously established rights. In many cases, irrec- oncilable conflicts in beneficial uses of water are encountered. The technical, economic, and policy problems of integrating future with present developments in the Central Valley present a challenge not only to local, State, and Federal agencies, but to the citizens of California, to apply their skill and knowl- edge in an atmosphere of good will and unselfish cooperation toward solution in the public interest. 85 |
