West Slope Caucus 5-18-06 - Laserfiche WebLink

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development, and most water users are junior in priority and need protection from lower basin calls. All projects are at risk; the Yampa Roundtable has taken protective positions, particularly with wrapping their arms around Article 13 of the Compact. Mr. Sharp said the basin is able to complete reasonable development without fear of curtailment, and all roundtable members agree that orderly development is necessary. Scott Balcomb began his update of Colorado River issues by saying that the river is experiencing an unprecedented drought. Informal discussions among the Upper and Lower Basin States continue, with states agreeing that each one needs to be in charge of their own fate. Mr. Balcomb then gave a brief background of Colorado River issues, starting with the early massive federal help for California agriculture, and the 1922 Compact that established the Upper Basin delivery requirement at Lee FelTY. The Upper Basin Compact created the Upper Basin River Commission. The Secretary of the Interior manages the river below Lee Ferry and the Upper Colorado Commission manages the river above Lee Ferry. Scott added that the Lower Basin states are entitled to 8 and a half million acre feet, but something is clearly going wrong. The Upper Basin intends to continue to develop our share of the river, but how do you deprive someone who is currently using that water supply? That is the practical problem on the river. Mr. Balcomb indicated that Arizona has designs to take Powell below the power level. In which case, the endangered species program might go away because the power sales fund that program. He added that the fiscal situation of the nation does nothing to help the situation. California has historically overused the river, but has since perceived they could not continue that overuse. The seven states have worked to establish shortage criteria, and getting California back to the 4.4 million acre-feet was a milestone. That process showed dialogue can work before just turning the situation over to the judicial system. Arizona's CAP has a subordinate position on the system, and could possibly have to take an entire shortage should one occur. Arizona's growth places high requirements for industrial and municipal uses. Scott told attendees that the seven states can fight and litigate or try to work things out. The Upper Basin strategy is to bring new water into the lower river system. How do we accomplish this? The way the river system is run in the Lower Basin is wasteful. "Take or pay" but doesn't happen in the lower basin system. The system must become more efficient, while at the same helping Nevada with their water crisis. Do we stop growth or find a new water supply? Nevada has offered to help fund some of these new improvements, and their help is important because they could sue the Upper Basin states. Another solution to finding a new water supply is to look at desalinating water that could be provided to Mexico farmers and cities. This could replace the water Mexico gets under Compact, but will require international cooperation. Some indications are that the Mexican government might accept an idea like this. They are highly motivated, and presently the US and Mexico agree on the desirability to do something like this. A draft shortage sharing agreement has been sent to the Secretary of the Interior with some innovative ideas on how to get new water into the system. Arizona might be backing out of the agreement because they are suffering through the worse drought in history and are very nervous right now. Colorado River issues are very political right now, and a political candidate in Nevada is running on platform to sue to break the Compact. The shortage criteria are actually working against 100 years of political inertia, and the whole thing could fall apart.