BOARD00148 ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 3/12/2007
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River - DEIS - Development of Lower Basin Shortage Guidelines and Coordinated Management Strategies for Lake Powell and Lake Mead, Particularly Under Low Reservoir Conditions
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Environmental Consequences

executive Summary

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resources; 2) provide mainstream United States users of Colorado River water, particularly
those in the Lower Division states, a g(eater degree of predictability with respect to the
amount of annual water deliveries in Nture years, particularly under drought and low
reservoir conditions:, and 3) provide additional mechanisms for the storage and delivery of
water supplies in Lake Mead. !I

ES.1.2 Proposed Federal Actio'n
The proposed federal action includes tH,e adoption of specific interim guidelines for Lower
Basin shortages and coordinated operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead. These interim
guidelines would remain in effect for d~tenninations to be made through 2025 regarding
water supply and reservoir operating de,cisions through 2026 and would provide guidance
each year in development of the Annual Operating Plan for Colorado River Reservoirs
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(AOP). This proposed federal action coftsiders four operational elements that collectively are
designed to address the purpose and ne~d for the proposed federal action.

The interim guidelines would be used by the Secretary to:
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. Detennine those circumstances *nder which the Secretary would reduce the annual
amount of water available for consumptive use from Lake Mead to the Colorado
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River Lower Division states (Arizona, California, and Nevada) below 7.5 million
acre-feet (mat) (a "Shortage") pursuant to Article II(B)(3) of the United States
Supreme Court in the case of Arizona v. California, 547 U.S. _ (2006)
(Consolidated Decree); I.

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. Define the coordinated operatio~ of Lake Powell and Lake Mead to provide improved
operation of these two reservoirs, particularly under low reservoir conditions;
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. Allow for the storage and delivery, pursuant to applicable federal law, of conserved
Colorado River system and non-~ystem water in Lake Mead to increase the flexibility
of meeting water use needs from I Lake Mead, particularly under drought and low
reservoir conditions; and

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. Detennine those conditions under which the Secretary may declare the availability of
surplus water for use within the li-ower Division states. The proposed federal action
would modify the substance oft~e existing Interim Surplus Guidelines (ISG),
published in the Federal Register10n January 25,2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 7772), and the
tenn of the ISG from 2016 to 2026.
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February 2007

ES-2

Draft EIS - Colorado River Interim Guidelines for
Lower Basin Shortages and Coordinated Operations
for Lake Powell and Lake Mead