… ADWR offers the following information in response to the paper, which incorporates supposition and opinion masquerading as fact (even using subjective and even judgmental phrases like “what rational actor would invest in schemes to conserve water,” “because of its sparkling qualities,” and “a tool as flexible and alluring as Assigned Water”). First, ADWR agrees wholeheartedly with the general premise that System Water is preferable to any category of Assigned Water. Increased volumes of System Water will improve outcomes for water users across the entire Basin, as well as the environment. ADWR also agrees with the need to divorce decisions regarding system operations from any Assigned Water stored in the system. Ongoing negotiations incorporate this concept, as seen in the Lower Basin Alternative for Post- 2026 Operations. However, ADWR takes issue with some of the allegations in the Enduring Solutions paper.