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<br />e <br /> <br />000281 <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />enlarged dead storage pool so that the HUP water became available again. These <br />temporary arrangements are not required by their terms to continue in the future <br />should similar situations arise. <br /> <br />29. Reclamation announced at public meetings on June 25 and July 16, 2003 a <br />different type of restriction on the release of water from Green Mountain <br />Reservoir to be effective for 2003. Specifically, Reclamation announced that it <br />will prohibit releases from Green Mountain Reservoir in excess of specified rates <br />as the amount of water remaining in the Reservoir falls below certain levels. The <br />drawdown rate restrictions for 2003 announced by Reclamation are as follows: <br /> <br />At elevation 7,880 feet (MS L) (which translates to storage of 49,508 acre feet in <br />Green Mountain Reservoir) drawdown rate = 1.5 feet per day (690 - 620 cfs, plus <br />inflows) <br />At elevation 7,870 feet (MSL) (storage of 40,845 acre feet) drawdown rate = 1.0 <br />feet per day (405 - 380 cfs, plus inflows) <br />At elevation 7,865 feet (MSL) (storage of36,957 acre feet) drawdown rate = 0.5 <br />feet per day (187 cfs and below, plus inflows) <br /> <br />Meeting Notes, "HUP Managing Entities & Water Managers, Irrigation Year <br />2003 Initial Meeting, June 25, 2003, Grand Junction," prepared and circulated <br />by Malcolm Wilson, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. In comparison, the <br />unrestricted release rates at the above described elevations are approximately <br />1,250 - 1,300 cfs. <br /> <br />30. Reclamation has indicated in response to questions from Petitioners that it has <br />not changed its previous policy, described in paragraph 27 above, of allocating <br />any shortage caused by operational restrictions to the HUP and not to the <br />replacement pool. <br /> <br />31. The restricted rates of release described above have the effect of reducing the <br />usable capacity of Green Mountain Reservoir available to West Slope <br />beneficiaries. As an example, the West Slope draws heavily on the <br />compensatory pool from August through the end of October, when the water <br />remaining in Green Mountain Reservoir is at its lowest levels. The drawdown <br />rate restrictions will take effect during that time and are reasonably anticipated <br />to reduce deliveries of Green Mountain Reservoir water for the benefit of West <br />Slope beneficiaries below the required volumes of water. As a result, upon <br />information and belief, water physically present in the compensatory pool in <br />Green Mountain Reservoir will not be released when required. <br /> <br />32. Reclamation has not taken steps to ensure the required 152,000 acre feet of <br />usable storage capacity in Green Mountain Reservoir. Therefore, the Court must <br />declare the Petitioners' right to receive their full entitlement of compensatory <br />pool water in the future. <br /> <br />11 <br />