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<br />002430 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />ca" store appfOximait:ly 5,000 acre-feet of Colorado River water. <br /> <br />Reclamation also reported on the system water ordered but not taken by contract and <br />entitlement holders in Arizona and California. For example, in Calendar Year 2001, California <br />entitlement holders ordered but did not take approximately 169,000 acre- feet; while similar entities <br />in Arizona ordered but did not take about 189,000 acre-feet of system water. The proposed storage <br />reservoirs along the All-American Canal could help alleviate much of the over-delivery to California <br />entities. It is Reclamation's intent to work more closely with entitlement holders in both states to <br />improve management of system water orders, releases, diversions and uses. <br /> <br />Reclamation also briefed the Basin States on the current status of meeting the Minute 242 <br />of the International Boundary and Water Commission salinity differential between Imperial and <br />Morelos Dams. Based upon current projections, Reclamation is concerned that the annual flow- <br />weighted salinity differential could exceed the liS parts per million (ppm), plus or minus 15 ppm, <br />established in the criteria specified in Minute 242. The causes associated with potential exceedances <br />are related to the following activities: (J) relatively good quality water currently being delivered at <br />Imperial Dam; (2) groundwater pumpage in the Yuma Valley being discharged back into the <br />mainstream below Imperial Dam; (3) the need to discharge the MODE flows for a period of time <br />while maintenance was performed on the By-pass canal; and (4) discharge into the mainstream from <br />the Drainage Pumping Outlet Canals (DPOCs) in the eastern portion of the Yuma Valley. <br /> <br />Reclamation's Yuma Area Office believes that the salinity differential can be better managed <br />through a combination of efforts and programs which address the factors described above. These <br />include implementation of the proposed groundwater pumping management program in the Yuma <br />Valley, and more effective control over discharges to the mainstream above Northerly International <br />Boundary (NIB) and deliveries at the Southerly International Boundary (SIB). Reclamation <br />proposes the development of a SCADA system to help manage the various pumping programs and <br />delivery volumes at both the NIB and SIB. <br /> <br />Reclamation's second presentation was related to the draft Modification to Title I of the <br />Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act. As was mentioned previously, Reclamation is <br />evaluating the feasibility of various alternatives related to operation of the Yuma Desalting Plant <br />(YDP). The alternatives include operation of the plant at full capacity, operation of YDP at some <br />reduced capacity (e.g., 1/3 or 2/3), secure "temporary entitlements" to mainstream water to replace <br />the Bypass stream. Reclamation believes that the temporary entitlements could be made available <br />through. water leasing programs, extra-ordinary conservation efforts, groundwater pumping, and <br />water obtained from non-system sources. <br /> <br />Reclamation believes that it has the authority to develop and implement feasible alternatives <br />pursuant to Section 1574 of the 1974 Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act (CRBSCA). <br />Section 1574 requires any proposed modifications to Title I be submitted to the appropriate <br />committees ofthe Congress for a minimum of 60 days prior to implementation. Additionally, the <br />Secretary of the Department of the Interior is required to notifY the Governors of each of the Basin <br />States of the proposed modifications. <br /> <br />9 <br />