Maureen Stapleton honored as a Press Club ‘Headliner of the Year’
March 23, 2004
The San Diego Press Club has awarded its highest honor, “Headliner of the Year,” to San Diego County Water Authority…
The San Diego Press Club has awarded its highest honor, “Headliner of the Year,” to San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Maureen Stapleton. Stapleton was one of 20 community leaders recognized by the press club at its annual awards banquet.
The award recognized Stapleton’s efforts in successfully negotiating the Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreement with three water agencies, seven Colorado River basin states, the state of California and the United States Department of the Interior. The QSA, signed in October 2003, secures new, highly reliable water supplies for San Diego County for generations to come.
“Our future needs for water have been secured by a historic series of agreements, thanks to the San Diego County Water Authority and its supporting agencies,” said Master of Ceremonies Jack White. “Maureen helped create these breakthrough agreements that now guarantee future generations a dependable and reliable source of water.”
The QSA fundamentally changed the way Colorado River water is distributed and used in California by quantifying water entitlements, implementing long-term water transfers and supply programs and ensuring California up to 75 years of stability in its Colorado River water supplies.
A critical component of the QSA is the San Diego County Water Authority-Imperial Irrigation District water transfer agreement that will transfer 200,000 acre-feet of water annually from IID to the Water Authority for up to 75 years. Under Stapleton’s leadership, the Water Authority also secured an additional 77,700 acre-feet per year for 110 years from concrete-lining projects on the All-American and Coachella canals.
The San Diego County Water Authority is a public agency serving the San Diego region as a wholesale supplier of water from the Colorado River and Northern California. The Water Authority works through its 23 member agencies to provide a safe, reliable water supply to support the region’s $130 billion economy and the quality of life of 3 million residents.
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