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~ ", . J......._;,. LaheMead. .., ~ , Regional Development The Board reviewed plans for water and energy developments within the Colorado River Basin. determined their effect on California's Colorado River water nghts and Interests. and attempted to obtain changes where necessary. Dunng 1973. several potential developments were announced and several draft envIronmental statements on proposed projects were reviewed and commented upon. particularly In regard to potential Colorado River salinity impacts. Western United States Water Plan.Study In response to a directive from the Federal Office of Management and Budget which required the Bureau of ReclamatiOn to complete this study. the 'Weslwide Stud,es". by July. 1974. the field work on the study was essentially completed dUring the year. The Board staff work.ed closely with Bureau and other state agencies on Colorado River matters. included In tt1e scope of this study. - -... National Water Commission Hearings on the recommendations of the National Water Commission's draft report were held in Phoenix. Arizona. 10 January. 1973. The Board staff worked on the preparation and presentation of Callfornia's official comments, One aspect of the Commlssion's recommendations of particular concern 10 the Board that was covered in the State's official comments was that unused Indian water rights would be permItted to be leased or sold for use on non-reservation lands. The Commisslon's final report, submitted to the President and the Congress on June 14. 1973. recommended a major overhaul of the nation's e)(istlng water POlicies and programs_ Its recommendations concernIng Indian water fights still implied that the Indians' reserved fights could be sold or leased for off-reservation use. which could be detrimental to California's interests In the Colorado River Upper Basin Developments The Son.Juan Choma transmOunTaln dIversion project. camp Ie led in 1972. diverted 174.000 acre-feet during water year 1972-73, The project was deSigned to deplete the Colorado River Basin by an average of only 110.000 acre-feet per year. The reasons fOf this large amount of water being diverted include the lack of storage capacity west of the Continental Divide. the need for initial filling of storage reserVOirs east of me DiVide. and the availability of water at diversion pOints during the high runoff year. In 1973. the City of Denver approved a 5160 million bond issue to finance water supply facilities. including the proposed Eagle-Piney transmountain diversion prOject which would increase the City'S capability to divert water from the Colorado River Basin to the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains by abOut 100.000 acre-feet per year. The Department of the InteriOf completed a Final Environmental Statement for the Bonneville Unit of the Centra! Utah PrOject In 1973. and announced that construction Will be resumed after a two-year delay due to environmental problems. Since authonzatlon in 1956 of the Initial phase of the Central Utah ProJect. about 5100 million has been expended on the 5500 million prOject. The Bonneville unit which is part of the initial phase would develop abOut 165.000 acre-feet per year of Utah's share of ColoradO River water. A large portion of thiS supply. 137.000 acre-feet per year. would be diverted Out of the BaSin to the Salt Lak.e City area The Federal Government released for review ItS final Environmental Impact Statement "