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<br />Introduction
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<br />1\ high mountain waterahed, Utah.
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<br />rhe operation at the Colorado River Basin
<br />luring the pa.t year end the projected
<br />Iperatlcn for the current year rellect flood
<br />:ontrol, domestic use, Irrigation, hydroelectrIc
<br />JaWsr generation, water quality control, fish
<br />lind wlldllte propagation, recreation, and
<br />"':olorado River Compact requirements.
<br />
<br />itorage and release of water from the Upper
<br />lasln reservoirs are governed by all
<br />ppllcable laws and agreements concerning
<br />~e Colorado River, Including t~e
<br />npoundment and release of water In the
<br />Jpper Ba,'n required by Section 602 (a) of
<br />,bllc Law 90-537. The operation of the
<br />')wer 8asln reservoirs reflects Mexican
<br />resty obligations and Lower Basin
<br />Intractual commitments.
<br />
<br />:othlng In thl. report I. Intended to Interpret
<br />,e provision. of the Colorado River Compact
<br />15 Stat. 1057), the Upper Colorado River
<br />a.ln Compact (63 Stat. 31), the Weter Treaty
<br />, 1944 wllh the United Mexican State.
<br />reaty Series 994,59 Stat. 1219), the Decree
<br />'tered by the Supreme Court of the United
<br />ate. In Arizona v. California, et al. (376 U.S.
<br />10), the Boulder Canyon Project Act (45 Stat.
<br />157), the Boulder Canyon Project
<br />jju.tment Act (54 Stat. 774; 43 U.S.C. 616a),
<br />e Colorado River Storage Project Act (70
<br />at. 105: 43 U.S.C. 620), or the Colorado
<br />ver Basin Project Act (62 Stat. 885: 43
<br />S.C. 1501 ).
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<br />Authority for Report
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<br />White weter from the high COuntry.
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<br />Pursuant to the Colorado River Basin Project
<br />Act (Public Law 90-537)of 1988, I am pleased
<br />to pressnt to the Congress, and to the
<br />Governors of the Colorado River Basin States,
<br />the thirteenth annual report on the operation
<br />of the Colorado River Ba,'n.
<br />
<br />This report describes the actual operation of
<br />the reservoirs In the Colorado River drainage
<br />area constructed under the authority 01 the
<br />Colorado River Storage Project Act, the
<br />Bouldar Canyon Project Act, and the Boulder
<br />Canyon Project Adjuetmant Act during water
<br />year 1883 and the projected operation of these
<br />reservoirs during water year 1984 under the
<br />"Criteria tor Coordinated Long-Range
<br />Operation at Colorado River Reservoirs,"
<br />publl.hed In the Federal Register June to,
<br />1970.
<br />
<br />William P. Clark, Secretary
<br />United State. Department of the Interior
<br />
<br />Actual Operations Under
<br />Criteria-Water Year 1983
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<br />The Initial plan of operation for water year
<br />1983, based on average Inflow conditions,
<br />called for scheduled releases from Lake
<br />Powell of 9.6 million acra-teetln order to
<br />equalize storage with Lake Mead by the end of
<br />September 1883. With thl. release the
<br />contents of Lake Powell would have equallzad
<br />with that of Lake Mead at approximately 24.2
<br />million acre-feet.
<br />
<br />Runoff forecasts beginning In January and
<br />updated semimonthly through March steadily
<br />declined trom 112 percant to 96 percent ot
<br />average, thus Indicating no need for a malor
<br />modification ot the plan. The April runoff
<br />forec8st, however, r08e to 114 percent of
<br />average, fol/owlng a wet March weather
<br />regime throughout the basin. Due to the
<br />already high reservoir contents throughout
<br />tha .y.tem It was decided to schedule spring
<br />and summer releases from Lake Powell In
<br />excess of those required to equalize storage
<br />with Lake Mead In order to reduce the rIsk of
<br />spilling In water year. 1963 and 1984.
<br />
<br />By May, the runoff forec8st Increased only
<br />slightly to 117 percent of average, and again
<br />to 120 percant of averaga by mid-May. With
<br />an observed precipitation for the month of
<br />May ot approximately 200 percent of normal,
<br />theJuna forecast of April through July runoff
<br />Jumped to 9.1 million acre-feet, or 131 percent
<br />of average.
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