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| Affiliation | Democratic |
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| Name | Frank M. Barrios |
| Address | 1040 E. Osborn #404
Phoenix, Arizona 85014, United States |
| Email | barrios_f@cox.net |
| Website | None |
| Born |
April 08, 1942 |
| Died |
Still Living
(82 years) |
| Contributor | Thomas Walker |
| Last Modifed | Thomas Walker
Oct 17, 2006 01:11pm |
| Tags |
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| Info | Frank Martin Barrios was appointed by Governor Napolitano in January 2003, to complete the term vacated by Terry Goddard. He represents Maricopa County on the CAWCD Board of Directors until December 31, 2006.
Mr. Barrios, a native Arizonan, graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. Mr. Barrios, currently retired, formerly worked with the Bureau of Reclamation, Arizona Water Commission and the Arizona Department of Water Resources. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Phoenix Diocese’s Council of the St. Vincent De Paul Society and the Phoenix Museum of History. He serves as Second Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Central Arizona Chapter of the Arizona Historical Society and as President of Council-284 with the League of United Latin American Citizens. He is a member of the Central City Community Services Collaborative Committee.
Mr. Barrios is also involved with First Families of Arizona and Pioneers Cemetery Association. He served in two Arizona Town Halls: the Yuma Town Hall on Alternative Energy Sources and the Grand Canyon Town Hall on Arizona/Sonora Relations. He is the recipient of the 2002 Hon-Kachina Award for volunteer service. In his spare time Mr. Barrios enjoys hiking and Arizona history.
Name: Frank M. Barrios
Address: 1040 E. Osborn #404, Phoenix, Az. 85014
Phone: 602-266-2400; 602-859-1902 (Cell)
EMail: barrios_f@cox.net
Website:
Fax: 602-266-2400
Occupation: Retirement from the State Department of Water Resources & Social Security & Investment Income.
Previous Occupation: US Bureau of Reclamation, 9 Years & Arizona Water Commission / Arizona Department of Water Resources, 22 Years.
Education: AA degree from Phoenix College & BS degree in Civil Engineering from Ariz. State University.
Birth Date: April 8, 1942
Family: Not Married
How long have you lived in Arizona? My mother & myself were both born in Phoenix Arizona
What is your party registration and how long have you been registered as a member of that party? I am a lifelong Democrat
Previous public offices you've sought/held: None
Civic organizations in which you've been active? I serve on the Board of Directors of:
1) Local chapter & State Board of the Arizona Historical Society
2) Vice President of the Phoenix Museum of History
3) Pioneer Cemetery Association
4) Memorial Hospital
5) Central Arizona Water Conservation District (CAWCD)
I am also active with Society of St. Vincent De Paul, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), President of First Families of Arizona & Chairman of the Inner-City South Collaborative.
Do you have any sort of a criminal record or any outstanding civil judgments? Please be specific. None.
EIGHT QUESTIONS
The CAWCD board toils in virtual anonymity. The subject is complex. There is no pay. Why are you running for a seat on the board?
My Grandfather came to Arizona in 1879 and I was born & raised in Phoenix and I love this State and care what happens to it. I have spent my entire working career with water resources in Arizona, I was chief of Flood Control for Arizona, AMA Director in both Pinal and Phoenix AMA's and Chief of Planning for Arizona & have worked extensively on Central Arizona Project issues and projects. I feel that I have the knowledge and experience to help lead this all important Agency that is essential to the future of Arizona.
List your top two priorities. Please explain each.
1) To insure the continued delivery of our Colorado River water supply to Central Arizona
This will require the protection & when possible the augmentation of our legal CAP Colorado River water allocation. As a part of this responsibility we must insure continued reliable delivery of CAP supplies to all our customers.
2) To provide Collaborative leadership & inspire Community trust
Our primary responsibility is to provide Colorado River water to Maricopa, Pinal & Pima Counties but we are also an important water resource agency with significant ability to assist in State wide issues when possible. We should not only be good neighbors but we should reach out to all our constituents and to listen to their concerns and to educate the public on water issues vital to our State's survival.
How would you rate the existing management and staff of the Central Arizona Project? Are they doing a good job or poor job? Please explain.
In my opinion management and staff are doing an excellent job. The Central Arizona Water Conservation District is very well run and the employees are treated well and work well as a professional and effective workforce. The issues brought to the Board for decision are often difficult and complex and not always easy to explain to a non-technical Board. I believe that the Staff makes every effort to clearly explain the issues so that we can make informed decisions. Staff recommendations are not always followed and in some cases we will postpone our decisions until more analysis are completed.. Board members are provided with Division Chief phone numbers to contact them directly if they wish and to ask clarifying questions.
Do you support Arizona's water bank and its agreement with Nevada? Why or why not?
Yes, I do support this effort and did vote in favor of this agreement. The Board began looking at this issue in June of 2004 and voted in favor of it in December of 2004. The issue was brought before the Board for action in November of 2004 and I joined with other Board members to postpone any vote till more studies could be initiated. Most decisions on Colorado River issues are based on a sophisticated computer model that looks at existing, historical river flows & applies existing and projected demands on the river that allows decision makers to evaluate the impacts to the Colorado River system. Although, one cannot predict droughts or floods with absolute certainty the computer model does provide a technical based method to evaluate how historical conditions might impact us today and in the future. The Staff ran a model run based on normal flow conditions and showed that there would be no impact to the M&I customer. In times of drought the lower priority Agricultural water can be discontinued without major impacts to the farmer but you cannot discontinue M&I deliveries without causing major problems. My concern was how this agreement might impact M&I deliveries & was not ready to agree based on normal flow conditions. I asked for and received a model run based on less than normal conditions. I received a model computer run based on a 20% probability of shortage covering the 30-year period of the agreement. The results of this run showed no negative impact to M&I deliveries in Central Arizona. In addition the agreement allowed for a $100 million dollar up-front payment for what I refer to as Insurance. If a devastating drought were to occur we had money to go out and purchase higher priority Colorado River Water for recharge allowing us to comply with the Nevada agreement. If the devastating drought does not occur we keep the $100 million. I felt that the agreement was heavily in favor of Arizona interest and at our December Board meeting I voted in favor of the agreement.
The Imperial Irrigation District of California is in a legal dispute with Mexico over the lining of the All American canal. A stay on the construction has been granted by the 9th Circuit Court. Should the canal be lined or not?
I do support the lining of the All American Canal. The lining project will save water that is presently being lost to seepage. Any and all conservation of Colorado River water is a benefit to all of the states that make up the 7-Colorado River Basin States. The law suit from Agricultural interest in Mexico challenging the lining of the canal has no justifiable basis and should be defeated. I also support CAWCD involvement in this lawsuit and our position in favor of lining the canal.
Do you favor restarting the Yuma Desalting Plant? Why or why not?
I do support the restarting of the Yuma Desalting Plant. The Yuma Desalting Plant was built by the Federal Government to meet Federal water quality treaty obligations. During a period of high reservoir water levels Arizona agreed to allow a temporary shut down of the Desalting Plant and the temporary use of Colorado River System releases to meet Federal treaty obligations. Now we are in a period of low reservoir levels and we are insisting that the Desalting Plant be restarted and the water quality treaty obligations be met through the use of the Desalting Plant as was originally planned. However, we are aware of the Cienega De Santa Clara located in Mexico and its dependency on the drainage water that was temporarily bypassed during the closure of the Desalting Plant. It is an important Environmental area and should be allowed to continue.
I strongly support a plan to protect this environmentally sensitive area by allowing continuing water deliveries to the Cienega and at the same time to restart the Yuma Desalting Plant. It is essential that this plan be implemented as quickly as possible. Every year while the Desalting Plant remains shut down we are losing about 100,000 Acre-Feet of water from Lake Mead.
Do you support ongoing Colorado River augmentation efforts such as cloud seeding and the removal or tamarisk trees. What other ideas do you have?
Yes I do support these efforts at augmentation. When Arizona agreed to accept the junior priority on its allocation it was on condition that there would be augmentation of the flow of the Colorado River. Both these stated procedures have been studied for years and yet very little implementation has occurred. We must continue to strongly push for augmentation and support further research in ocean desalinization and look for the day when desalinization becomes cost effective and is universally used throughout the lower basin.
Was the Gila River Indian Community settlement good for Arizona? Why or why not?
I voted for passage of the Gila River Settlement. I was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2003 and was not part of the lengthy and complex negotiations that led up to the settlement. I do respect the process that brought together an unprecedented number of Federal, State and local entities, including the Salt River Project, all the major Cities of the valley and most of the major Irrigation Districts of Central Arizona. Many would have concluded that this many competing entities would have never come together and agree to a settlement. However, after many years of negotiations, they agreed to a settlement that is still very controversial. I believe that we gave up to much water to the Gila River Indian Community but no doubt that there are members of the Gila River Indian Community who feel that they should have gotten more water. In my opinion, it would be difficult for any one party that took part in this negotiations to say they bested the other. However, the Settlement does bring certainty to the Gila River claims and if it had not been settled it would have continued to cloud the future of Central Arizona. I continue to believe that we gave up to much water but I will honor the negotiated settlement and will support the Gila River Settlement.
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