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00237fl . . l. coefficients had to be used. - Reclamation indicated that the type of soil in which plants are growing can affect water usage. Reclamation was asked if it planned to prepare soil classification maps for the entire Lower Basin and use soil classification in the LCRAS methodology to account for soil type. Reclamation seemed hesitate to commit to such a major undertaking. Also at the meeting, a representative of the U.S. Geological Survey presented methodology that it intends to use to determine the accuracy of its measurements. For the 1999 LCRAS report, the flow below Hoover Dam had to be increased by 2%, (264,618 acre-feet) to create a balanced water budget. With regard to the actual 1999 LCRAS report, that following issues were discussed: . Reclamation is planning to install temporary stations in phreatophyte areas to better determine the amount of water used by phreatophytes. These native plant areas consumed, according to the 1999 LCRAS report, 585,923 acre-feet of water in 1999. . The original meeting agenda indicated that attendees would discuss the manner in which LCRAS intends to determine phreatophyte conswnptive use. This is a major factor in the LCRAS procedure, and potential clarification of the methodology was discussed briefly in my report to the Board last month. Resolution of this issue may greatly affect the determination of Article V consumptive use. This item had been removed from the meeting's agenda however, and was therefore not discussed. J . The 1999 LCRAS report reduced the flow at the Northerly International Boundary by 92,026 acre-feet to create a balance in the water budget. California's representatives, who asked most of the questions during the meeting, stated that, historically, in many years, such a reduction would have resulted in an apparent failure to meet the Mexican water treaty obligation. What would Reclamation do when this happened in the future? Reclamation responded that such a situation would be dealt with when it occurred. California's Colorado River Water Use Plan On March 5'", I attended a meeting in Sacramento, hosted by Mike Spear, Western Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to discuss the IID/SDCW A Water Transfer and the associated ESA compliance. At the meeting, lID explained its time line for completing the environmental compliance associated the IID/SDCWA' water conservation and transfer program. During the meeting, all of the California parties explained the importance of this program and the need to keep it on schedule. Basin States/Ten Tribes Discussion Seven Basin Slales' Tour oflhe Colorado River Delta. Mexico Last month I informed the Board that the Southern Nevada Water Authority had arranged a 3