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<br />000321 <br /> <br />3. Other water users ~ The possibility exists that other water users such as the <br />Southern Nevada Water Authority could take advantage of unused capacity in <br />the YDP to treat drainage water. The additional water would be delivered to <br />Arizona or Mexican water users, thereby freeing up water that could be used <br />either through water banking exchanges or as unused Arizona apportionment. <br /> <br />D. Changes to legal requirements, adaptive management programs, and impact <br />mitigation measures ~ Within the context of an overall plan, certain requirements <br />of the Salinity Control Act or other relevant laws could be revised to reflect <br />current information and changed conditions. An adaptive management program <br />for the Cienega de Santa Clara would allow new information gained through <br />enhanced monitoring and research to be used effectively to enhance <br />environmental values. Impact mitigation measures are mechanisms to reduce or <br />eliminate the direct impacts on water users. The water users have long been <br />concerned that the failure to reclaim or otherwise offset the bypass flow will <br />lower system reservoir levels to the point where a Lower Basin shortage would <br />have to be declared. Impact mitigation measures would be structured to provide <br />an alternate water supply to replace the supply lost due to the shortage condition, <br />but only to the extent the shortage was caused or increased due to the failure to <br />offset the bypass flows. <br /> <br />1. Degree to which the United States must provide an offset to the Wellton <br />Mohawk bypass flows ~ The Salinity Control Act states that the Federal <br />obligation to replace the bypass flow is waived whenever there is a surplus as <br />defined by the Mexican Treaty. Even if there is no formally declared surplus, <br />when reservoir levels are high, the requirement to replace the bypass water <br />could be waived because there is a high probability that the water will be <br />spilled. Since many solution components are expensive, there could be a <br />considerable reduction in expenditures if the Federal obligation to salvage the <br />bypass flow is deferred until the Lake Mead storage level is declining. <br /> <br />2. Ouantity and quality of water needed to maintain the Cienega de Santa Clara <br />~ Under current conditions all of the Wellton Mohawk drainage water is <br />bypassed. This volume is approximately 110,000 acre feet although in some <br />years it is significantly higher. The ability to determine the optimum water <br />quality and quantity for the Cienega can only be answered by implementing a <br />cooperative monitoring and data gathering plan. The monitoring plan needs to <br />be developed so that a determination can be made about the relationship <br />between water volumes, salinity levels ofthe water, and the amount of habitat <br />the water supply will support. The monitoring program will eventually evolve <br />into an adaptive management program where the knowledge gained from the <br />research will be used to better achieve wildlife habitat and other <br />environmental goals. <br /> <br />3. Shortage alleviation contingency fund ~ Federal funds that would otherwise <br />have been expended to operate the YDP, purchase forbearance agreements or <br />otherwise mitigate for the MODE bypass flow would be set aside each year in <br />a 'shortage contingency fund.' Funds would be deposited annually and would <br /> <br />Recommendations of the YDP/Cienega Workgroup <br /> <br />14 <br />