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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />additional infrastructure improvements and modifications to the Yuma Mesa Conduit, the pumped <br />water could be moved north and discharged into the mainstream near Yuma, Arizona. Pumped water <br />could also be routed south and delivered at SIB through the Boundary Pumping Plant. <br /> <br />The Agency Managers and Board staff have raised a number of questions regarding potential <br />impacts associated with the project on salinity and the delivery of water to Mexico under the 1944 <br />Mexican Water Treaty, as well as, the effect the proposed project would have on calculation of return <br />flow credit and Article V Decree accounting in the region. A letter was sent to Reclamation on <br />July 5, 2002, thanking Reclamation staff for its informative presentation. The letter also requested <br />that Reclamation provide additional infonnation, as it becomes available, regarding the proposed <br />forebearance mechanism for Reclamation's utilization of the water as bypass replacement and the <br />monitoring program that must be developed and implemented as a component of the proposed <br />project. <br /> <br />Reclamation has indicated that the proposed project will not, in all likelihood, move forward <br />without a consensus among all affected stakeholders, including the Basin States. The Agency <br />Managers requested that a small group of agency and Board staff be assembled to evaluate the <br />potential effects of the pumping project on the calculation of return flow credit and annual Article V <br />Decree accounting. <br /> <br />Consumptive Use and Article V Decree Accounting Issues <br /> <br />The Agency Managers discussed the recent Reclamation proposal regarding the calculation <br />of consumptive use and Article V Decree accounting requirements associated with the use of <br />Colorado River water in the Lower Division. Included in the Board folder is a copy of Reclamation's <br />draft proposal for your review and consideration. <br /> <br />Reclamation is panicularly interested in developing appropriate criteria and guidelines for the <br />determination of consumptive use associated with riparian and wetland vegetation along the Colorado <br />River. This issue is becoming more important as the conservation requirements of the Lower <br />Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program and elements ofCatifornia's Colorado River <br />Water Use Plan are being developed. Again, the Agency Managers requested that the small group <br />be tasked with evaluating Reclamation's latest proposal on Article V Decree accounting and develop <br />a potential position for the Board's review. <br /> <br />Comments on the Five-Year Review of the Criteriafor Coordinated Long-Range Operation of the <br />Colorado River Reservoirs <br /> <br />As you may recall, on March 15, 2002, Reclamation published a Notice in the Federal <br />Register regarding the five-year review of the Criteria for Coordinated Long-Range Operation of <br />Colorado River Reservoirs (Operating Criteria) and whether the Operating Criteria should be <br />modified, and uso, how. On March 29, 2002, the Board submitted a comment package regarding <br />the Operating Criteria. The Board suggested that no changes be made to the current Operating <br />Criteria. <br /> <br />4 <br />