Board Metting 01/23/2007

• Board Meeting Date: 1/23/2007
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

The Bureau of Reclamation will release prop~sals in February, including the plan crafted by the seven
river states - Arizona, California, Nevada, Uta,h, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico.

Status of the All-American Canal Lining Lawsuit: The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral .
arguments in the lawsuit on December 4th in San Francisco. They did not lift the temporary injunction and
a ruling is expected sometime in 2007.

In a related matter, Congress passed legislation that "directs the Secretary of Interior to complete
construction of the All-American Canal lining without delay and notwithstanding any other provisions of
law. This language was contained in H.R. 6111, a broader bill containing tax breaks that would expire in
2006. The bill is now awaiting the President's signature. Consequently, in late December the U.S.
Department of Justice filed a motion to dismiss the case, and the response is pending. The Attorney
General Report will provide additional detail on the brief. When signed, it is believed that construction
can proceed without further legal impediments.

Colorado River Water Use: As of December 1,2006, storage in the four major Upper Basin reservoirs
decreased by 102,400 acre-feet and storage in the Lower Basin reservoirs increased by 78,700 acre-feet
during November. Total system active storage as of December 7 was 34.067 million acre-feet (MAF), or
57 percent of capacity, which is 0.440 MAF less than one year ago. (Upper Basin reservoirs increased by 0.513
MAF, and Lower Basin reservoirs decreased by 0.953 MAF.)

The end-of-year measure for 2004 California agricultural consumptive use of Colorado River water under the
first three priorities and the sixth priority of the 1931 California Seven Party Agreement was reported as
3.524 MAF; and for 2005, the end-of-year measure was 3.581 MAF. The target under the Interim
Surplus Guidelines (ISG) for the end of 2003 was 3.740 MAF, and the target for 2006 is 3.640 MAF,
thus California has been in substantial compliance with the ISG through 2005. Tracking of use in 2006
is shown below through December 1, with forecasted uses at the end of 2006 of approximately 3.695 .
MAF. Although the forecasted uses for 2006 continue to be higher than the 2006 target of 3.640 MAF,
the Colorado River Board of California is aware of the issue and appropriate adjustments will be made.

December 1 Forecast of 2006 Year-End Colorado River
Water Use by the California Agricultural Agencies

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__~./J50 MAF ______~_
- 2003 Target = 3.74 MAF
. . . . . . . 2006 Target = 3.64 MAF
- - - - - 2009 Target:;: 3.53 MAF
- - - - 2012 Target = 3.47 MAF
_____ Year-End Forecast
-+-- Use ThIs Year

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