|
<br />...
<br />lJj
<br />C)
<br />.-!
<br />C
<br />c..
<br />
<br />Diversions minus measured returns to the
<br />river by major Lower Basin mainstream
<br />users in water year 1968-69 were 5,877,000
<br />acre-feet, an increase of 121,000 acre-feet
<br />from 1967-68. California diversions less re-
<br />turns were 4,846,000 acre-feet, an 84,000 acre-
<br />feet increase from the previous year. Di-
<br />verted quantities for the past five years are
<br />shown in Table 3.
<br />In addition to users listed on Table 3, mis-
<br />cellaneous users divert from the Colorado
<br />River or pump from wells adjacent to the
<br />mainstream. Gross diversions of these mis-
<br />cellaneous users in California, Arizona, and
<br />Nevada are estimated to have amounted to
<br />more than 100,000 acre-feet per year for the
<br />past several years.
<br />During the year contracts were executed
<br />for delivery of water from Lake Mead by the
<br />United States to two agencies in Nevada. Las
<br />Vegas Valley Water District will receive
<br />20,112 acre-feet per year until December 31,
<br />1970, and 15,407 acre-feet per year thereafter.
<br />Basic Management, Inc., will receive 41,277
<br />acre-feet per year. The former contract is an
<br />addition to one executed in 1967 for 99,200
<br />acre-feet per year, and the latter is an exten-
<br />sion of prior agreements covering the same
<br />quantities of water. Both contracts have
<br />adopted a system of intrastate priorities simi-
<br />lar to that used by California whereby earlier
<br />users have a priority over the later users.
<br />The Bureau of Reclamation releases water
<br />at Hoover Dam to satisfy requirements for
<br />the Mexican Water Treaty and for agencies
<br />in southwestern United States. Most of these
<br />agencies are served by diversions at Imperial
<br />Dam. The nearest major regulating structure
<br />to Imperial Dam is Parker Dam, located 148
<br />miles upstream and three days flow time
<br />from Imperial Dam. Senator Wash Dam,
<br />completed in 1966 on a tributary upstream
<br />from Imperial Dam, provides a limited
<br />amount of additional regulation. The or-
<br />dered flow at Imperial Dam is seldom the
<br />precise rate actually required because of
<br />weather changes and other factors during the
<br />travel time from Parker Dam. Storage pro-
<br />vided at Senator Wash is used to balance
<br />
<br />28
<br />
<br />river flows with requirements. Plate 8 shows
<br />the periods of time required for Parker Dam
<br />releases to reach various agricultural areas.
<br />
<br />PLATE 8
<br />
<br />LOWER COLO RADO RIVE R
<br />
<br />TIME REQUIRED FOR WATER SERVICE
<br />TO AGRICULTURAL AREAS
<br />
<br />"OlE AfOUIAEC FDA PU'ER OA" A~LEAsn
<br />TORE:ACH,
<br />
<br />'....".,0...-3.."
<br />
<br />C.ac'.,IO(,..'
<br />
<br />
<br />C..,..H,V.".,_,....."
<br />
<br />"'"".........'c,.."."o.,....;"'_..."
<br />
<br />Y.... .'"'' ... ..... ..... O....'..~ l t.. '."
<br />
<br />'.....,.IV.".._4'.'.."
<br />
<br />"....r::\,,--
<br />,"..,~~)
<br />
<br />''''0.",1
<br />VO''',
<br />
<br />.,'_0"'''''' C...'
<br />
<br />C..L1FOR!!.IA.________
<br />....E~'CO
<br />
<br />-$?~~
<br />"CO-
<br />
<br />., . ., '"
<br />_u..~____
<br />,,-,,,.....,,,
<br />
<br />(;.1/
<br />"'
<br />1;''''''0'0
<br />
<br />On July 11, 1969, the Secretary of the In-
<br />terior published in the Federal Register a
<br />proposed revision in regulations for the es-
<br />tablishment of annual delivery schedules for
<br />water from the Lower Colorado River.
<br />Under the proposed regulations, the Bureau
<br />of Reclamation would not be required to
<br />make public the delivery schedules of each
<br />contractor. The Board recommended that
<br />the Bureau be required to notify each of the
<br />contractors and proper state agencies upon
<br />approval of delivery schedules for each con-
<br />tractor in the Lower Basin. The Board fur-
<br />
|