WSP08458

• File Number: 8282.751
• Description: Colorado River Operations
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/2002
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Draft Environmental Impact Statement Vol 1 Implementation Agreement, Inadvertent Overrun and Payback Policy and Related Federal Actions
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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Executive Summary

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III if- ,-
(VI"

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3. Reclamation would provide $50,000 in funding for the capture of wild-born or first
generation (Fl) bony tails from Lake Mohave to be incorporated into the broodstock for
this species and/or to support rearing efforts at Achii Hanyo, a satellite rearing facility
of Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery, These efforts would be funded for 5 years,

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4. A two-tiered conservation plan has been developed to minimize potential impacts to
occupied willow flycatcher habitat that could result due to reduced flows on the
Colorado River between Parker and Imperial Dams as water transfers and associated
changes in point of delivery are implemented, The details of the Plan may be found
below, and in the BO.

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ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

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Implementation Agreement Alternatives

Because the purpose of the proposed action is to provide Federal approval of an agreement
negotiated among the California parties, no other action alternatives are being considered. The
QSA is a consensual agreement among three parties (CVWD, lID, and MWD) that resolves
long-standing disputes regarding the priority, use, and transferability of Colorado River water,
The proposed IA reflects that consensual agreement. The IA and QSA have been developed in
response to the Secretary's 1996 statement that California must implement a strategy to enable
the State to limit its use of Colorado River water to 4.4 MAF during a normal year or develop
the means to meet its water needs from sources that do not jeopardize the delivery of Colorado
River water to other States, Development of a strategy to reduce California's diversions of
Colorado River water is considered by the Secretary to be a prerequisite for Secretarial approval
of any further cooperative Colorado River water transfers among California agencies, The other
Colorado River Basin States are also aware of the implications of the IA and QSA, and are very .
interested in and supportive of California's progress in reducing its Colorado River water/
diversions. .

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Inadvertent Overrun Policy Alternatives

Many alternative concepts and issues were considered in the development of the proposed lOP.
Much interest and many ideas were identified during the scoping process and in response to
the draft policy published in the Federal Register. As a result of considering public comment,
one additional lOP alternative has been developed, and is considered, along with the proposed
action, in this EIS,

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No Forgiveness During Flood Releases Alternative

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The proposed lOP contains a provision that in a year during which the Secretary makes a flood
control release or a space building release, any accumulated amount in an overrun account
would be forgiven, The No-Forgiveness Alternative would eliminate that provision. Under
this alternative, during a flood control or space building release year, the overrun account
would be deferred, but not forgiven, Payback would resume in the next year when such
releases are not scheduled. All other provisions would be the same as the proposed lOP.

LA, lOP, and Related Federal Actions EIS

DEIS -January 2002

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