A DEADLINE PASSED: WITH CALIFORNIA’S 4.4 PLAN SEEMINGLY ON THE ROCKS, WHAT’S NEXT? For the past seven years, water interests in southern California, including Imperial Irrigation District (IID), Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD), Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) and San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA), along with the Department of the Interior (Interior) and its water management arm, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau), have been engaged in an effort to develop the 4.4 Plan. The Dec. 31, 2002 deadline has come and gone and with it, the surplus water from the Colorado River intended to help the Golden State ease into that federally mandated reduction of the Colorado River. This issue of River Report examines the background leading up to the current state of indecision on the agreement and how close (or far) the parties are to resolving the issue and getting the 4.4 Plan implemented.