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<br />002597 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Letter of Support for Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting Programs <br /> <br />In response to Board action at its April meeting, I prepared a letter to the Senate <br />Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development and Related Agencies, on behalf of <br />the Board, urging the restoration of adequate funding to maintain and operate the Snow <br />Survey and Water Supply Forecasting Program (i.e., SNOTEL gaging system). At the <br />April Board meeting the staff was directed to prepare a letter acknowledging the need for <br />continuation of this important program and endorsing the recent position of the Western <br />States' Water Council associated with this issue. Included in the Board folder is a copy <br />of the letter for your information. <br /> <br />Environmental Organizations' Letter to American & Mexican Sections of the lEWe <br /> <br />Seventeen environmental organizations recently sent the American and Mexican <br />sections of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) a letter requesting <br />consideration of several alternative scenarios for addressing the flood capacity and <br />boundary rectification issues in the Limitrophe Division of the Colorado River (River <br />Miles 0.0-23,0). These organizations are concerned that approximately 6,700 acres of <br />high quality native riparian habitat between Morelos Dam and the Southerly International <br />Boundary (SIB) will be damaged or lost during the boundary rectification and flood <br />capacity improvement project currently planned by IBWC. <br /> <br />In the letter, the environmental organizations have proposed the following <br />alternative scenarios: <br /> <br />1. Consider Doing Nothing - The levee-to-Ievee flood capacity is estimated to <br />exceed 75,000 cubic-feet-per-second (cfs), nearly twice the volume that <br />Reclamation calculates as the 100-year flood. Consequently, the organizations <br />suggest that no action is actually necessary. <br />2. Maximize Use of the Levees to Minimize Risk to Streamside Habitat - If the <br />current proposed project is moved forward, the organizations suggest that IBWC <br />consider raising the existing levees rather than dredging and channelizing the <br />Colorado River in the Limitrophe section of the River. This would protect the <br />existing riparian habitat. <br />3. Reconsider the need for the 15,000 cfs Pilot Channel- Dredging the pilot channel <br />will dewater much of the 6,700 acres of riparian habitat in the Limitrophe section. <br />The organizations suggest that the existing braided channel can already <br />accommodate flows up to 15,000 cfs. <br />4, Assess Inside-Levee Risk - If homes and property inside the levees are found to <br />be at risk, due to flooding, IBWC should consider buying the properties and <br />relocating the landowners to lands outside of the levees. The environmental <br />organizations maintain that this could be a less expensive alternative than the <br />proposed project. <br />5. Identify and Protect Areas with Significant Habitat Value - The environmental <br />organizations suggest moving the project such that existing wetland and riparian <br /> <br />. 3 <br />