WSP08974

• File Number: 8210.140.20
• Description: Colorado River Basin Organizations and Entities - Colorado River Basin States Forum California
• State: CA
• Basin: Western Slope
• Date: 1/1/1974
• Author: Myron B Holburt
• Title: Annual Report for the Calendar Year 1973
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

. ~. .' .....

:.,,""',

on the Prototype Oil Shale
Development. and announced the
impending leasing Of six federal
tracts in Colorado. Utah and
Wyoming which would take place
during the first half of 1974. In
addition to the government leases,
oil companies announced plans to
develop privately held oil shale
lands. Plans for the early
construction of two major coal
gasification plants have also been
announced. as have plans for
several coal-fired power generating
stations. All of these energy
developments will require large
quantities of water and strict
controls will be required on the use
and disposal of waste waters to
minimize the resulting increases in
salinity in the Colorado River.

Lower Basin Developments

In September 1973. the U. S.
Senate passed S. 1296 which will
expand the boundaries of Grand
Canyon National Park to include a
portion of the presem Lake Mead
National Recreation Area requIred
for the proposed Hualapal (Bridge
Canyon) Dam and Reservoir
Project. The bill would preserve the
present authonty relatmg to the
possible construction of a federal
project at the site. When hearings
were held on the bill in November
by a House Subcommittee. the
Hualapai Indian Tribe proposed
amendments which would restore
the Federal Power Commission's
authority to issue a license for a
hydroelectric project to a
non-federal entity. The tribe owns
the south side of the canyon 10
which the prOject would be located
and wants the Arizona Power
AuthOrity to develop the site.
The ftrst construction contract
for the Central Arizona PrOject was

12

approved in April 1973. The
contract was lor excavation of a
pump 109 plant site and
constructIon of an earthfill dike at
the intak.e channel of the Havasu
Pumping Plant.
The Fort Mohave Indian
Reservation filed a notice of Intent
in 1973 to apply for a S5.ooo.0Cl0
Bureau of Reclamation Small
Projects Loan to develop 10.000
acres of reservation land in Arizona
for irrigallon purposes. The
reservation has decreed rights to
mainstream Colorado River water
in the amount necessary to supply
the consumptive use required for
18.974 acres. located in Arizona.
Calilornia and Nevada.
The Metropolitan Water District
of Southern California announced
10 '973 that it had been negotiating
With the Southern California Edison
Company to furnish Colorado River
water for a proposed nuclear
power plant in the eastern MOjave
Desert near the Colorado River.
The Edison plant. to be located
west of the Colorado River at
Vidal, would use 4O,OClO acre.feet
per year directly from MWD's

aqueduct. Later in the year, the
District approved. 10 principle.
supplying up to l00,OClO acre-feet
per year of Colorado River water
for the Edison plant and for other
potential nuclear plants in the area.
The remaining 6O.0Cl0 acre-feet per
year would be for additional
nuclear plants proposed by
Southern California utilities. These
latter plants WIll most likely use
agricultural drainage water from
the Palo Verde Irrigation District
Outfall Dram for power plant
cooling. Blowdown water from the
plants would be disposed of in
evaporation ponds. To mak.e up for
the dramage water diverted. an
eqUivalent amount of Colorado
River water would be released
from Parker Dam. This would result
10 a reduction in river salinity
downstream of the drain. San
Diego Gas and Electric Company is
the only utility actively pursuing a
proposal to construct a plant at the
lower Palo Verde Valley site at the