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<br />G02{34 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MONTIll.. Y REPORT <br />TO THE <br />COLORADO RIVER BOARD OF CALIFORNIA <br /> <br />October 9. 2002 <br /> <br />EXECUTIVE SESSION <br /> <br />Center For Biological Diversity, et at. vs, Gale Norton, et al. <br /> <br />On September 4, 2002, the Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, and Cabazon Band <br />of Mission Indians filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Central District of <br />California. The complaint alleges that the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and the U.S. <br />Bureao fo Reclamation (Reclamation) have not fulfilled the congressional mandate contained within <br />the 1998 Salton Sea Reclamation Act (p.L. 105-372). The complaint also alleges that the Secretary, <br />and Reclamation should have finalized the feasibility assessment of options associated with reducing <br />and controlling the salinity of the Sea. providing endangered species habitat, enhancing the fisheries, <br />and protecting the human recreational values of the Salton Sea. The Salton Sea Reclamation Act <br />(SSRA) required the Secretary to complete the studies of the identified management options and <br />present them to Congress by January 1,2000. Reclamation released a draft Environmentallmpact <br />Statement (EIS) and Environmental Impact Report (EIR), pursuant to NEP A and CEQA, in January <br />2000. However, a final EIS/EIR and Record of Decision (ROD) has not yet been released. <br /> <br />In the complaint, the plaintiffs are asking the Court to: I) require the Secretary of the Interior <br />to prepare a final EIS/EIR and Record of Decision pursuant to the 1998 SSRA; 2) order that the final <br />report and ROD be submitted to Congress for its review and evaluation; and 3) enjoin Reclamation <br />from approving or authorizing any water transfers which are incompatible with Salton Sea <br />restoration until such time as all of the reviews and reports are completed and submitted to Congress. <br /> <br />AGENCY MANAGERS MEETING <br /> <br />The Agency Managers have not met since the August Board meeting. <br /> <br />PROTECTION OF EXISTING RIGHTS <br /> <br />Colorado River Water Report <br /> <br />As of October I, 2002, storage in the major Upper Basin reservoirs decreased by 213,000 <br />acre-feel and storage in the Lower Basin reservoirs decreased by 232,000 acre-feet during <br />September. Total System active storage as of October 3'd was 37.852 million acre-feet (mat) or 64 <br />percent of capacity, which is 8.487 mafless than one year ago. <br />