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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Meeting with IBWC Commissioner Ramirez <br /> <br />On November 11,2001, representatives from the Colorado River Salinity Control Forum met <br />with Commissioner Ramirez of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC). During <br />the meeting, Commissioner Ramirez discussed the ongoing activities with Mexico, including the <br />activities associated with the Minute 306 process. He also indicated that IBWC has initiated a process <br />whereby IBWC will develop a comprehensive water management plans for Mexico for each of the <br />regions along the United States and Mexico border. Commissioner Ramirez indicated that there are 17 <br />groundwater basins along the United States and Mexican border. These management plans will <br />integrate the surface and ground water resources and investigate opportunities for water conservation <br />and reuse. He envisions that this and other efforts could result in a number of minutes to the 1944 <br />Mexican Water Treaty or separate treaties. The water management studies will be evaluating the <br />sustainable yield of the basins. He indicated that all interested stakeholders will be involved as new <br />minutes or treaties are negotiated. <br /> <br />Colorado River Environmental Activities <br /> <br />Status of the Developmeni of the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program <br /> <br />On November 1,2001, the MSCP Techl1ical Consulting Team released a second draft of the <br />MSCP Impacts Assessment report for review and Comment. This 270 page report describes the impacts <br />to the MSCP focus and covered species and critical habitats associated with all of the federal and non- <br />federal covered projects and activities. Much of the technical analyses in the report utilize the same <br />methodologies for determining impacts as were used ill the development of the biological and <br />environmental assessments for the interim surplus criteria and IlD/SDCW A transfer documents. The <br />MSCP participants and Reclamation determined that the technical assumptions used in those analyses <br />were still relevant. <br /> <br />. The draft Impacts Assessment report determines that current and proposed future lower <br />Colorado River operations and programs "may affect" several species and will "likely adversely affect" <br />the critical habitats of several species as welL Key species affected by the operations and activities <br />include the southwestern willow flycatcher, Yuma clapper rail, California black rail, yellow-billed <br />cuckoo, razorback sucker, and bonytail chub. The identified impacts are associated with flow reduction <br />in the reaches of the lower Colorado River below Davis and Parker Dams in conjunction with future <br />transfers of Colorado River entitlement water. These potential reductions in flow affect the aquatic, <br />marsh, backwater, and riparian habitats within the historic floodplain of the lower Colorado River. <br /> <br />Based upon an initial review by Board staff, the draft Impacts Assessment indicates that a <br />significant amount of the potential impact is associated with the planned development of approximately <br />35,000 acres of new agricultural lands on lower Colorado River Native American reservation lands. <br />In order to develop these new agricultural lands, existing native and non-native riparian and upland <br />desert vegetation will be removed. <br /> <br />Comments on the document from MSCP participants and interested parties are due on Thursday, <br />November 15,200 I. Ajoint meeting of the MSCP Biological and Compliance Subcommittees has been <br />scheduled for November 15,2001 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Additionally, the MSCP Work Group will <br /> <br />6 <br />