BOARD00031 ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 9/20/2006
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Sullivan explained. The way the Rio Grande Compact with downstream states is set up, the more water
the Rio Grande receives here, the greater percentage of that increase must be sent downstream.

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The current annual projection for the Rio Grande this year is 475,000 acre feet. Of that total flow,
Colorado owes 119,500 or 25 percent to the downstream states of New Mexico and Texas.

The forecast prior to the summer rains was 355,000 acre feet on the Rio Grande. By August 10, the river
had already indexed 342,000 acre feet. Sullivan is hoping to not over-deliver the amount required by the
Compact. His staff is monitoring the gauges frequently to keep on top of the situation.

Sullivan's office had to raise the curtailment on water users from 19 percent to 26 percent on the Conejos
to make sure enough water is sent downstream to satisfy the Compact.

He added that New Mexico has also experienced increased rainfall. In late Mayor early June the inlet into
New Mexico's Elephant Butte Reservoir was dipping below 50 cfs, the level required to keep the
endangered silvery minnow afloat. As of Wednesday, the inlet was measuring 5,000 cfs. "They have had
some amazing rains down there," Sullivan said. As a result, the Elephant Butte Reservoir has risen from
200,000 acre feet of project water to 265,000 acre feet.

Sullivan said the rivers in the San Luis Valley need to experience years greater than 75 percent of normal
to help get water into the aquifer. He expected the aquifer levels to drop again this year but not as
drastically because of the temporarily reduced demand for pumping due to increased rainfall.

San Juan/San MiguellDolores River Basin

San Juan RIP Extension of Cooperative Agreement: Colorado and New Mexico have both approved .
the extension of the Cooperative Agreement for the Program through 2023. The Ute Mountain Ute,
Southern Ute, Navajo and Jicarilla have extension of the Program under consideration along with the
revised Program Document. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has begun moving the Cooperative
Agreement Extension through the Department of Interior and Colorado will be sending a letter of support
for the extension to Interior. We are also encouraging the State of Utah to formally join the SJRIP and
sign on to the Cooperative Agreement Extension.

San Juan Pikeminnow Stocking: On August 6th 1,696 Colorado pikeminnow, 2001 year class, avg.
length 412 rom and avg. weight 441 g, were stocked into the San Juan River at Shiprock. The fish
responded to handling and hauling well. The Dexter Hatchery retained an additional 266 to monitor post-
handling survival and those fish will be stocked into the San Juan later this summer. If these fish survive
and remain in the critical habitat, it will be a big step towards meeting the recovery goal for the San Juan
River. The "Downlist Criteria" for the San Juan Basin is a self sustaining population of 1 000 age 5+ fish.
While stocked fish do not count towards the recovery goal, knowing that there are enough adult fish
capable of reproduction in the river gets you considerably closer to starting the clock on the determination
of a self sustaining population of Colorado Pikeminnow in the San Juan River.

Documentary Explores Animas-La Plata Project in Durango: On September 7 Rocky Mountain PBS
aired "Cowboys, Indians and Lawyers," a one-hour documentary that discussed the history of the Animas-
La Plata project.

Durango Adds to Fund for Rec-Water Battle: On August 17, the Durango City Council voted
unanimously at a regular meeting Tuesday to authorize another $75,000 for experts and lawyers who are
supporting the city's effort to ensure sufficient water in the Animas for recreational activities that would .
include a proposed boating park.

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