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I I I I I I I I, I I I I I I I I I I r . -Oo.OlH to California and Arizona in a nonnal year. In Arizona, an analysis was done by the AWBA that concluded sufficient off stream storage capacity exists to accommodate the quantity of Colorado River water Arizona expects to store for the next 10 years, Existing facilities will be used to store water off stream in Arizona, using both indirect and direct storage, Without the Rule it is possible that California and Nevada could enter into a SIRA to provide for off stream storage, development, and release ofICUA. Reclamation would complete the appropriate level ofNEPA documentation for such actions on a case-by-case basis, 2, Third Party Imoacts Third parties are entities holding a water delivery contract through the Secretary or other entities who may be impacted by the management or operation of the Colorado River. Preferred Alternative Implementation of the Preferred Alternative would not affect any Colorado River water entitlement holder's right to use its full entitlement nor cause the operating criteria for the Colorado River in the Lower Basin to depart from the current and projected mode as discussed above, Under certain circumstances reductions in water supplies made available to individual water users could occur due to a change in the allocation and utilization of unused apportionments, In the past, Nevada's and Arizona's unused apportionment has been utilized by California entities, primarily MWD. Recently, use in Arizona has increased to the point where all of its 2,8 mafapportionment is being used within the State. Nevada's use is expected to reach its full apportionment of300,000 afJyr by 2004. Offstream storage associated with the Preferred Alternative could reduce the amount of unused apportionment which could be made available by the Secretary to other States. The Decree stipulates that the Secretary may release a Lower Division State's apportionment for use in another Lower Division State, but no rights to the recurrent use of such water shall accrue, Thus, no rights would be impacted by off stream storage under the Preferred Alternative. During years of surplus supplies, impacts on water supplies otherwise made available to third parties would be eliminated or reduced in scope. The California Colorado River water users are presently developing a plan for dealing with a Colorado River water supply that is limited to 4.4 mafper year, Implementation of the Preferred Alternative may reduce to a small extent the amount of water in excess of 4,4 maf available for use in California, thus forcing the California users to implement the California plan at a slightly earlier date, Water supply conditions and present levels of use are such, however, that there is a likelihood of surplus water years in the near future, which is the time frame during which much of the off stream storage for interstate purposes is expected to occur (Figure 8), If, for example, the rule had been in place for 1997, the amount of unused Nevada apportionment which could have been redirected 14