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<br />000325 <br /> <br />expended to make much more significant contributions to the preservation of <br />reservoir storage and mitigate drought impacts during periods of water <br />scarcity (when the risk of shortage caused by the cumulative impacts of failure <br />to replace bypass flows is most likely to impact water users). <br /> <br />3. Implement a pilot Basin-wide voluntary consumptive use reduction and <br />forbearance program to reduce the potential for shortages. The program <br />should be solely based on voluntary temporary land fallowing, but only to the <br />extent that there will be no permanent reallocation of entitlements to Colorado <br />River water between and among the users of Colorado River water.. <br />Opportunities to participate in the program should be offered to water users in <br />both the United States and Mexico. The target volume of the forbearance <br />program could be tied to funding level, Lake Mead storage content, or by <br />some other appropriate negotiated limit. The pilot program should be operated <br />for a defined period of time after which an evaluation of the program's <br />effectiveness and cost should be prepared to determine (1) if this approach <br />should be included in a long term plan and/or (2) evaluate its potential <br />effectiveness in conjunction with the shortage alleviation contingency fund. <br /> <br />4. Continue funding and take necessary actions to correct identified YDP <br />deficiencies, assess the feasibility of using YDP as a potable water source for <br />M&I use, and identify and make additional necessary adaptations to the plant. <br />Actions should allow YDP to be operational to a minimum of one third <br />capacity using Yuma area groundwater as an operational source. <br /> <br />5. Immediately implement a monitoring system and advanced research program <br />in the Cienega de Santa Clara to identify the relationships between quality, <br />quantity and environmental conditions and to monitor environmental changes <br />and trends. <br /> <br />6. Continue to investigate and, when appropriate, implement programs not <br />directly related to the bypass flow which have the effect of reducing risk of <br />Colorado River shortages, such as management of tributary inflows for <br />delivery or Colorado River water supply augmentation. <br /> <br />B. A long-term plan involving a combination of the components described below <br />should be developed and phased in over several years~ The long term plan <br />would be designed to be effective for an extended period of up to 25 or more <br />years. The plan should be flexible and should be adjusted as needed to meet the <br />planning objectives. <br /> <br />1. To limit the volume of bypass flow, and thus the overall magnitude of the <br />federal obligation, WMIDD should continue to implement advanced water <br />conservation practices in order to reduce its need for drainage pumpage. <br /> <br />2. The Bureau, in conjunction with interested parties, should seek an adjustment <br />to the Salinity Control Act that would modify the terms and conditions <br />defining the national obligation to offset the WMIDD bypass flow. The intent <br />of the amended terms will be to provide flexibility to forgo or delay the <br /> <br />Recommendations of the YDP/Cienega Workgroup <br /> <br />18 <br />