Thomas J. Graff is Senior Counsel at EDF.

Last Sunday's Orange County Register describes the concern in urban Southern California when they are forced to rely on "hard" water (more salt and minerals) from the Colorado River rather than better quality Bay-Delta supplies. This belies the myth often perpetrated by DWR and MWD that they prefer Colorado River to SF Bay-Delta water, when it is available, because it is cheaper. Those with long memories may recall that they made a legislative run at changing the priorities in the Hoover Power Plant Act of 1984 to allow MWD to use "cheap" Hoover power to pump State water from the Delta over the Tehachapis. Tony Coelho and Sala Burton sponsored, and had approved by consensus, an amendment to make this more difficult.

The Hoover power contracts will soon be coming up for renewal in the Congress. "Free marketeer" EDF, quietly supported by PG&E and Utah Power and Light, as well as, at least initially, Joan Clayton of Consumers Union, in 1984 favored (indeed sponsored) the position taken by then Representative Boxer and then Senator Metzenbaum, that Hoover power should be auctioned. The New York Times supported our position, as did George Will in a nationally syndicated column.

As with many other California water matters, this is not a simple issue. Ralph Nader, Mel Levine, Mo Udall, and Barry Goldwater were among our distinguished opponents. Udall dubbed the Boxer amendment "the second Boxer rebellion". Goldwater complained in the Congressional Record that his air conditioning bills in Phoenix would rise if Metzenbaum's amendment were to be approved. Congressman John McCain voted against the Boxer amendment, which failed 179 to 214 (43 not voting).

One lesson here: it is wrong to say Southern California always prefers Colorado River water to Bay Delta water or vice versa.