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<br />(~~ <br /> <br />v <br /> <br />~~ <br /> <br />EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br /> <br />~ <br />f~ <br /> <br />The streamflow of the Colorado River is low and highly variable <br /> <br />relative to the flows in other rivers of comparable drainage area. <br /> <br />Rights to the consumptive use of the water have been legally allo- <br /> <br />cated; however, the total allocated rights exceed the current long-term <br /> <br />average flow of the river. The Colorado River Compact of 1922 defines <br /> <br />the original division of water rights between the states within which <br /> <br />the basin lies. <br /> <br />Present agricultural, municipal, and industrial uses of Colorado <br /> <br />River water, and planned or au.horized future projects will consume <br /> <br />almost all of the available wa.er supply. Potential future uses of <br /> <br />water must compete for the remainder of the water resource. In partic- <br /> <br />ular, projects to develop the coal and shale oil resources in the basin <br /> <br />could be constrained by the necessity to share the remaining supply <br /> <br />with future municipal and agricultural users. <br /> <br />An examination has been made of alternative ways to manage the <br /> <br />operation of the major storage reservoirs in the basin (Lake Mead and <br /> <br />Lake Powell). Certain of these alternatives are shown to increase the <br /> <br />supply of water relative to the supply attainable under the management <br /> <br />The water supply can be increased by operating the reservoirs at <br /> <br /> <br />constraints imposed by the Colorado River Compact. <br /> <br />lower levels, thereby decreasing the total amount of evaporation from the <br /> <br />reservoir system. Under the alternative management.scheme, the reser- <br /> <br />voirs are operated with sufficient storage capacities to provide a <br /> <br />reliable supply of water to downstream users. Some loss in hydroelectric <br /> <br />generating capacity is experienced as a result of decreasing reservoir <br />