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<br />e <br /> <br />000279 <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />runoff." Senate Document 80 at 15. Thus, unused water in the replacement pool <br />must be made available for irrigation and domestic use on the West Slope. <br /> <br />18. In 1984, Reclamation developed an Operating Policy for Green Mountain <br />Reservoir which established a 66,000 acre foot historic users pool ('"HUP") <br />within the 100,000 acre foot compensatory pool in Green Mountain Reservoir. 48 <br />Fed. Reg. 58657 (1983). Pursuant to the Operating Policy, Reclamation must <br />release water stored in the HUP, without charge, for the benefit of the historic <br />West Slope beneficiaries of Green Mountain Reservoir. Another 5,000 acre feet <br />from the 100,000 acre foot compensatory pool is reserved for the use ofthe Silt <br />Project. See Reservation of Certain Green Mountain Reservoir Storage, <br />Colorado-Big Thompson Project, for Silt Project, Colorado River Storage <br />Project, approved November 25, 1964. The remaining amount in the <br />compensatory pool is available to West Slope users pursuant to contracts entered <br />into with Reclamation ('"contract pool"). <br /> <br />19. Of the total storage capacity of Green Mountain Reservoir of approximately <br />154,000 acre feet, approximately 7,000 acre feet of water are in "dead storage", <br />which is the amount of water below the lowest outlet of the Reservoir. Thus, the <br />active, usable capacity of Green Mountain Reservoir is only approximately <br />147,000 acre feet, instead of the required 152,000 acre feet. (As described <br />below, even less usable capacity is available when the Heeney Slide Restriction <br />is taken into consideration.) <br /> <br />20. Reclamation has violated its obligation under contract, and as a trustee, to <br />maintain at least 152,000 acre feet of active, usable storage capacity in Green <br />Mountain Reservoir. Reclamation has exceeded its delegated authority by <br />operating the C- BT Proj ect contrary to the terms of Senate Document 80 and the <br />Blue River Decree. <br /> <br />21. The River District, Association, OMID, PID, GVIC, and Middle Park all <br />represent West Slope water users that are entitled to HUP releases from the <br />compensatory pool. <br /> <br />22. The River District and Middle Park represent West Slope users who hold <br />contracts for releases from the Green Mountain Reservoir contract pool. <br /> <br />23. In 2002, hydrological conditions in the Colorado River Basin and its tributaries <br />upstream from the diversions of Association, OMID, PID, and GVIC were as dry <br />or drier than any historically recorded. As a result, Association, OMID, PID, <br />and GVIC implemented programs to reduce their diversions of water from the <br />Colorado River in an effort to provide a continued supply of irrigation water, <br />albeit at a lesser rate, throughout the growing season. <br /> <br />24. Reclamation announced in 2002 that 66,000 acre feet had been stored in the HUP <br />in Green Mountain Reservoir for release for HUP beneficiaries during the 2002 <br />growing season. Categorical Exclusion Checklist No. 02-31, Bureau of <br /> <br />9 <br />