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Needles council authorizes mayor to press federal agency to protect city's Colorado River water rights
Summary
After a staff briefing on the Biden administration's supplemental environmental impact statement for Colorado River operations, the Needles City Council unanimously authorized the mayor to submit a letter urging preservation of present perfected water rights and to use other means to defend the city's allocation.
The Needles City Council on April 25 authorized the mayor to submit a letter to federal officials urging preservation of the priority-based system for allocating Colorado River water and to take "all other available means" to protect the city's present perfected water rights.
City staff presented a briefing on the U.S. Department of the Interior's draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for Colorado River operating guidelines, explaining three broad options under consideration: leave operations unchanged; retain allocation based on seniority of water rights (priority system); or apply equal, proportional cuts across users. The presentation said Needles holds long-standing present perfected rights, including entitlements that allow diversion of about 1,500 acre-feet and an additional 1,200 acre-feet from earlier purchases, and that the city underutilized roughly 500 acre-feet in 2022.
Council discussion focused on local impacts if the federal government adopted an equal-cut approach. Terry Campbell, chair of the Board of Public Utilities, told the council that a straight, across-the-board reduction would harm holders of perfected rights and urged residents and the city to submit comments. City staff drew attention to public-comment avenues and a packet-drafted letter for council consideration; staff noted the Department of the Interior was taking comments through late May.
Councilmember [mover] moved to reauthorize the mayor to submit a commitment letter and pursue other available avenues to protect Needles' water rights; the motion was seconded and approved by roll call. The action directs the mayor to send the recommended comment urging that existing present perfected rights be recognized in federal decision-making.
The council did not vote on a local ordinance or binding policy change; the vote authorized submittal of the letter and related advocacy steps. Staff and council members said they will encourage residents and neighboring right-holders to file comments with the Bureau of Reclamation and Department of the Interior.
